In the Crossfire
by riding-into-sunsets
Summary: Most teenagers love the bad boys, but where's the line? When you fall for a homicidal vampire and an immortal hybrid, you have to worry about your sanity from time to time. Unwanted magical powers, a nosy, judging twin sister and a town where half the population are supernaturals - Louise Gilbert's life is anything but normal. Damon/OC/Klaus
1. The Birthday

_The Birthday_

I was awoken on my birthday by my annoying twin sister, Elena Gilbert.

I rubbed my eyes and groaned. Even on our birthday, she couldn't be relaxed or laid-back.

Sleep was like my saviour these days. Yet another one of my relatives had died, my aunt Jenna. She was killed so the Original Hybrid - a werewolf/vampire in one - could be released of a curse that made his werewolf side dormant.

Jenna had taken us in after my adoptive parents died. She was usually the 'fun aunt,' the one you could talk to about boy-problems. She had been there for me so many times in the past. When I developed an addiction to pot and alcohol months before my parents died, she was the one to pull me back. When I got dumped by Jason Wyatt, she was the one who watched movies with me and gave me ice-cream. She was one of the few people I trusted, and the hybrid took her from me.

My town, Mystic Falls, was crawling with supernatural creatures and I was one of them. I was a witch, not a very good one. I knew a few spells, but I wasn't devouted to becoming an all-powerful witch, I never saw the need. Bonnie could be the witch in our group of supernatural friends, I liked my position on the sidelines as the witch-sub.

"Elena!" I groaned. "Its too early for this."

"It's our birthday," she said, pulling over the curtains. "You can't stay up here all day today, Louise."

"I can try," I said, covering my ear with my pillow.

Elena pulled the duvet off me and threw it to the ground. "Get up," she ordered.

I sat up. "Fine," I grumbled.

"I miss her too, Louise, but we have to move on. It's what Jenna would have wanted."

I felt my eyes well up with tears. I blinked, trying to get them to go away. I wasn't weak. I was a lot of things, surely, but weak wasn't one of them. After our parents' death, I was the strong one. I was the oldest by fifteen minutes, and I took my role very seriously. I got my crap together after their deaths, my family had needed me. Jeremy spiraled and began taking drugs. He shut everyone out, including me. We had been close before he became a drugee and then when he gave them up, we got back to that.

"I'm fine, Elena," I said, getting out of bed. "Don't worry about me."

Elena sighed. "That's exactly what I'm worried about," she said. "You're pretending like you're okay. It's how you deal with this. You pretend like the grief isn't there, but it is. You may think that this mask of yours is fooling everyone, but it's not fooling me. I know you're hurting."

"Like I said, 'don't worry about me'," I assured her. I smiled at her and grabbed some clothes, going towards the bathroom, but before I entered, I turned around. "I'm used to this by now. We all are."

I shut the bathroom door and sighed. I brushed my teeth, tied my long, brown hair up in a high-ponytail and put on shorts, a blue tank top and sneakers. Today, I was going to leave the house and quit my hermit behaviour. It wasn't helping me and it wasn't helping anyone around me.

I had lost so many people in the space of a couple months. I had lost John, Jenna and even Stefan.

Stefan and I became friends after he started dating my sister and after my discovery of the supernatural and my witchy abilities, we became close. He was my confidant and I was his. He could talk to me about things that he couldn't talk to Elena or Damon about, and he was there for me when things were tough. I needed him now more than ever.

John Gilbert was my biological father and adoptive uncle. We weren't exactly 'super-close' like him and Jeremy were (before he killed Jer's girlfriend, Anna), but I didn't hate him like Elena did. I tolerated him and I was heartbroken when he died. He was my dad, after all, not a very good one, but he was still my dad.

I walked slowly down the stairs and went into the kitchen. Ric was at the table, drinking coffee.

Ric was kind of our guardian now. He was Jenna's boyfriend and our history teacher, but he cared about us. He was a vampire hunter and a vampire's best friend. He cared about us and protected us.

He smiled at me. "Hey," he said as walked through the door. "Your sister's just gone out. She's got some Stefan news."

My head piped up. "Oh?"

"Klaus ' victims," he answered. "She's certain that he's with him."

"Klaus wouldn't just kill him," I said. "Katherine said that Klaus wanted Stefan to come with him for some reason, whatever it may be. He wouldn't just kill him."

"Yeah," Ric replied thoughtfully. "But Klaus does seem like a-"

"Psychopath?" I suggested, smirking. "Sociopath?"

Alaric laughed. "A bit of both, I think," he answered. "You seem chirpy today."

I sighed. "I'm done being a hermit," I said, straightening up. "I'm going to go out there and socialise. Locking myself up in my room all day isn't doing me any good." He nodded. I observed him for a moment. He looked tired and worn out. "Are you okay, Ric? Jenna's death affected you as much as it did me. You loved her." He didn't answer, but looked saddened. "You don't have to sleep on the couch, by the way. We wouldn't mind if you slept in her room or our parents'."

He shook his head. "No, too weird. I'd feel bad sleeping in your parents' and my dead girlfriends' bedrooms."

I nodded. "Just know that you can."

* * *

"Hey, Elena, where are you? You haven't been picking up."

_"I'm at the Salvatore Boarding House. Caroline's mom said there was an 'animal attack' in Memphis. Its the third one this week in Tennessee. This could be them."_

I sighed. "Just don't get too excited. If this isn't him, I don't want you to get bummed out over it."

_"But three animals attacks in the one state, Louise, that has to be vampires."_

"And how many vampires are in existance? Probably thousands, maybe millions. Elena, it's probably not them."

_"But there's hope and that's all I need. Oh, and Caroline's throwing us a birthday party tonight."_

I groaned. "Hopefully not a large one."

_"Sounds like it is."_

I pulled up outside of the boarding house. "I'm here now."

_"Okay, see you in a few."_

I got out of my car and went into the house. Elena was in the sitting room.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. "Hoping that Stefan will just miraculously show up in his house?"

"This isn't a joke, Louise," she replied. "I've come to talk to Damon."

"Elena, he went with Klaus to get the cure for Damon's bite. He won't come home even if you find him. He's in debt to Klaus," I told her.

"He might," Elena argued.

"Good morning."

"Hey, I was gonna..." Elena started.

We turned around to see a smirking, naked Damon, looking delighted at putting us in a position where we are forced to look at his naked body.

"Oh my God!" I exclaimed, covering my eyes and whipping back around.

Elena had turned around too. "You heard us! You knew that we were here."

"Yeah, you two should learn to knock. What if I was...indecent?"

Well, you can't get more indecent than in his baby-suit.

Elena put her hand over her eyes and threw him a towel.

"Is he covered?" I asked Elena.

"Yeah."

"Sheriff Forbes gave us another location to check," Elena said, pulling out a note. "Memphis."

"Another dead end you mean," Damon said. He looked to me. "And you're letting your sister get hyped up on a dead end? Louise Gilbert, I thought you were better than that." He tutted.

I smiled sardonically at him. "I am. Hey, I never said I supported this."

Elena looked between us. "We don't know that this is a dead end."

Damon approached her. "You're right, Elena. This could be the one. After almost two months this could be the one clue that tells that Stefan is alive and well and living in Graceland."

"Fine," she said. "I'll go by myself."

Elena started to walk away, but Damon vampire-speeded in front of her, blocking her way and taking the note with the address on it. "Right, and let Klaus know you're tracking him. He thinks you're dead; let's keep it that way."

"It's a new lead, Damon; we haven't had one in a while."

"Okay, I'll check it out," Damon said. "If I find anything I'll call you."

"But..." Elena tried as Damon walked away.

I gave Elena a small smile before following the stubborn vampire up to his room. I was surprised he didn't hear me, him being a vampire and all. I supposed he was too focused on doing whatever he was doing.

Up in his room, he opened the closet door and pinned the note onto it.

"They moved on to Tennessee," he said.

"Huh, that fluttered victim you had me looking in to had family in Tennessee," said the familiar voice of Andie Starr, Damon's human blood-bag.

"Which one? Pensacola?"

"Aha," she replied.

"Up for a road trip?" Damon asked the reporter.

"Ha, no can do, I've got to work. But I can see if I can get you an address." I heard the sound of smooching lips and tried my best to suppress a barf. "See you at the party."

"Get me that address."

She left Damon's room, noticing me as she left. "Oh, hi, Louise."

I opened the door. Damon groaned. "What do you want?"

I laughed. "So you haven't given up," I said. I walked into his room and checked out the map. "You know, I would be up for a road trip."

"No can do, Gilbert," he replied. "I don't take defenseless humans on road trips."

"Andie Starr?" I huffed. "And, in case you forget, I am a witch."

"Not a very good one," he commented.

"Hey!" I punched his shoulder playfully. "I can give killer migraines."

"I know," he said. "I've recieved one."

"So, it's decided. I'm coming."

"Fine," he relented. "If you insist on being as stubborn as your sister."

I smiled in triumph. "It's a family trait."

* * *

"So, this is where the attack was?" I asked as we pulled up.

"Mhmm," Damon answered.

Damon's phone rang. He checked the phone but then ignored the call. _Elena_, I thought immediately. I wanted to tell her where we were, but Damon wouldn't let me.

"Elena?" Ric presumed. Damon made a face. "I don't know why you just don't come clean and tell her where we are. I mean you let Louise come."

"The only reason I let Louise come was because she saw the closet, you know how stubborn Gilbert's can be," Damon told him.

I smiled proudly. "Damn-right we are."

"And Andie said this was a half lead and I don't want to get Elena's hopes up."

"Yeah, well they're all half leads," Ric said. "And Louise and I are your accomplices. What do you want us to say to her? Louise sleeps in the room next to her and I practically live there now."

"Still sleeping on the couch?" Damon said, him and Ric were looking around.

"He's more than welcome to sleep in one of the bedrooms," I said, looking at Ric.

"Thanks, Louise," he replied. "You know, I keep waiting for you to kick me out, but you don't. I don't know why, it's not like I'm helping or anything."

"Yes, you are, Ric," I told him. "You're helping us by just being there."

Ric smiled. "Mmhm," Damon mumbled.

"It's quiet," Alaric commented.

"Yeah. Too quiet."

We got out of the car and went inside. Damon put his foot past the threshold. So, no one lived there anymore.

"Oh yeah," Damon said.

Which meant someone had killed them. That, or they turned them into vampires.

Ric closed the door behind us. I followed Damon into the living room. Two women sat on the couch. They were dead.

"It was a vampire," I said. "For sure."

"Stefan, for sure," Damon countered.

"How do you know?" Ric asked.

"It's his signature; there's a reason they call him the ripper," Damon explained. "Feeds so hard he blacks out and rips them apart, but then when he's done, he feels remorse. It's the damnedest thing." He placed his foot on the woman's leg. "He puts the bodies back together."

He pushed on her leg and her head fell to the floor. I gasped.

"Back together?" he questioned.

"Definitely Stefan."

* * *

Damon poured gasoline over the living room.

It shocked me that Stefan could be so ruthless. Stefan was kind, he wasn't some monster who ripped people's heads off. Maybe Klaus had compelled him so he could have some amusement on his travels.

"What are you doing?" Alaric asked.

"Covering their tracks," Damon said. "Clearly they have no interest staying in the dark, but I do."

Ric moved back on a loose floorboard. It creaked.

"Hang on," Damon said.

He put down the tank of gas and flipped over the carpet. It was a hidden door. He opened it and it was full of chains.

"Werewolves," I whispered.

"Well, what do you know."

Ric closed the door behind him. Damon lit and match and threw it on the floor. The living room went on fire.

* * *

"I didn't think you'd prefer tracking Stefan over celebrating your birthday," Damon said.

I kept on forgetting that it was my birthday. I just didn't get that... feeling. Even after my parents died, I enjoyed my birthday, maybe not as much, but I still enjoyed it. Now Jenna was dead, so was John and the only person I could talk to about it all had turned into a ripper.

He parked in the drive-way. "I didn't feel up to it," I replied. "One too many dead parental figures."

"At least you've got outta that hermit phase," he joked. "I was gonna start calling you 'hermit-Louise'."

I laughed. Not because it was funny, but because he was trying. "You know, you're not the worst guy, Damon."

"Guess I better try harder then," he said, getting out of the car.

I shut the car door and followed him. "You don't have to pretend to be the bad guy all the time."

"Being the bad guy means I can get things done," he said. "If I was the good guy I'd have to have morals. And, as you can see, being moral doesn't exactly get you in the best places."

We went inside the house. Damon went off in a rush.

* * *

I went over to the party after getting dressed. Usually, I didn't wear dresses, but tonight was a special occasion. Maybe I could change up my style? Mom always wanted me to wear more dresses and skirts, but Dad had laughed at my boyish-nature and style. I was the sportier-one out of the two of us. Swimming was my life.

The Salvatore Boarding house was much larger than our house, so Caroline held the party there. There were more people than I expected, and it looked like Caroline had spent days organising it.

"Louise!" Caroline called as I entered the house. "Happy birthday!" she looked at my attire, eyes wide. "You're wearing a... _dress_?"

I laughed. "Yes, I am wearing a dress, Caroline."

"You look so pretty," she said. She handed me a drink. I eyed it. I didn't have the greatest history with alcohol. Caroline noticed this and added, "Oh come on, Louise! It's your eighteenth birthday for God's sake!"

I smiled and took a sip of the alcoholic beverage. We went into the other room. My brother was there, with Matt. Getting stoned.

"Oh...the Stoner den. Buzz kill," Caroline said.

Matt approached us. "Hey guys."

"Matt, hey!" Elena said and he kissed her on the cheek.

"Oh."

He went over to me and did the same thing. "Happy Birthday you two."

"Thanks," I said, watching him carefully.

He smiled and left.

"He hates me. His hatred of me, has driven him to drugs!" Caroline exclaimed dramatically.

"He doesn't hate you," Elena said. "He hates that he's not with you." She looked over to the couch. I followed her gaze. "Is that our brother?"

She handed Caroline her drink. "Sure is," I said.

"Thank you," she said to Caroline.

Elena walked off. "I'm gonna talk to him," I told Caroline, who sipped her drink.

I took the pot off of Jeremy. "Seriously, Jer? I thought we were over this by now?" I asked furiously.

"Chill, Louise," he slurred. "You used to be cool."

I scoffed. "Yeah, when I was getting stoned in my room and drinking gallons of alcohol in a day, 'cause that's _so _cool."

He laughed. "You know you're not my mom, right? You and Elena have been acting like the fun police since our parents' died."

"It's because you keep on breaking the rules," I said, sighing. "Come on, Jer, you're better than this. What's driven you to drugs?"

His stoner-smile faltered. "That's none of your business," he snapped.

"Actually, it kinda is," I said. "You're my brother and I don't like seeing you like this."

"Yeah, well, you better learn to deal with it," he growled before storming off.

* * *

_"He killed Andie."_

"Damon, he's confused, we can help him."

_"You sound like Elena."_

"Well we are twins," I said, pulling into the driveway.

_"Yeah, but you're more different than alike."_

"Tell me about it," I sighed. "You sound sad, Damon. Are you okay?"

I heard him laugh. _"Of course I'm okay. I'm always okay. I'm the bad brother, I don't get hurt. I don't feel grief after the death of a useless human."_

"Sure," I said, deciding not to press him. I put the keys into the door and held the phone between my shoulder and my ear. "Since when did we start talking on the phone to each other?"

_"Since you became the only sane person I know."_

I laughed. "Why thank you," I opened the door. "Well, I gotta go and deal with my stoned brother. I'll talk to you later."

_"See ya, Gilbert."_

I smiled, hung up and went into the kitchen. Jeremy sat at the table, looking both thoughtful and stoned.

I left the party after the cake. I would help clean up tomorrow, but for now, I was wrecked.

I filled the sink with water and squirted some washing up liquid into the basin.

"Are you gonna talk or are we gonna have a long, awkward silence?" Jeremy asked.

I chuckled. "What do you want to talk about?"

I put on a pair of gloves and scrubbed the plates, bowls and cutlery that couldn't go into the dishwasher.

"Why are you pretending like it didn't happen?" he questioned. "Like you didn't catch me?"

"I wasn't pretending," I smirked. "I just didn't happen to mention it."

"More like you wanted me to mention it," he huffed.

I sighed and continued doing the dishes. I couldn't cook to save my life, but since no one here bothered to do the dishes, I figured I'd take up that responsibility.

When I was finished, I unplugged the sink and let the water go down the drain.

I sat down beside Jeremy. "You know you can talk to me."

He sighed. "It's nothing," he said. "I'm-"

"Fine?" I finished. "No, you're actually not. You wouldn't be smoking if you were 'fine'."

"You'd think I was crazy if I told you."

"So what?" I said.

"Promise me you won't tell Elena," he said. I didn't respond. "Louise?" he pressed.

"Fine," I relented. "I promise."

"I've been seeing Vicki," he told me. My eyes widened. "I know she's dead... but I can see her."

I nodded. "I believe you."

He looked at me in shock. "You're not freaked out about this?"

I shrugged. "Stranger things have happened."

* * *

_A/N: Damon and Louise sort of get together-ish in the next chapter. I don't plan on making their relationship all sunshine and rainbows. _

_Review and tell me what you think!_


	2. The Hybrid

_The Hybrid_

"Damon?" I called. "Damon?" He vamped in front of me, startling me. "Damon! For God's sake!" I hit him on the shoulder.

"What are you doing here?" he said grumpily, making his way over to his wine cabinet.

"I am here to make sure that you don't spiral," I said, sitting down at the side of his bed. He groaned. "You do have a tendency to go off the rails when things get tough."

"I told you, I didn't care about her," he snarled through gritted teeth. "She was just another-"

"Human blood-bag?" I finished. "Yeah, I thought so too, until I heard you on the phone after she died. You were quite distraught, if I remember correctly."

"Come to taunt me?" he asked.

"Nope," I replied, popping the 'p'. "I've come to remind you of your humanity."

He scoffed, pouring out some bourbon. "Well, I'm not the Salvatore who's ripping people's heads off and trying to put them back together again."

"No, but you are the Salvatore who's just lost someone they cared about, while battling feelings for his newly-turned ripper brother's girlfriend," I said. I noticed that Damon didn't show any spark of emotion when I mentioned Elena... that was odd. "And since Stefan's beyond our reach for the moment, I've decided to focus on you."

"Thinking of becoming a psychologist? Am I your first test subject?" he asked bitterly.

"Actually I plan on becoming a doctor," I said. "So, don't worry, you're not my latest experiment. But I need you to open up, Damon."

"Nope," he replied. "Not gonna happen."

"We need to find Stefan," I told him. "And we can't do that if you're dealing with your own inner-demons. So, the sooner we sort out yours, the sooner we sort out his."

"Ah, I get it," Damon said. "You're trying to ignore your problems by focusing on mine. Great tactic." He winked and raised his glass at me before gulping the rest of it down.

He turned on the TV. They were talking about Andie's death. He went over to the closet and began taking off all the notes and the map.

I saw Elena at the door. She looked at me suspiciously and accusingly. I raised an eyebrow. Why was she- oh... Oh! She thought I was making a move on Damon, and she didn't like the thought of sharing one of her Salvatore's. I rolled my eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me you were working on finding Stefan?" she asked me.

Oh, that's why she was looking at me like that. Ooops... well, at least she's not a complete possessive bitch.

"Did I forget to mention that?" I smiled sweetly.

"Just can't stay away, can you?" Damon asked, groaning.

She turned her attention to Damon. "You've been dodging my calls."

"Yeah, well, busy dating a dead fake girlfriend and all," he said.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Elena asked.

"Happy Birthday, Elena. Stefan killed Andie. Cake?"

"You don't seem to have any qualms about telling Louise," she said, a tinge of bitterness and jealousy in her voice.

"She's different," he replied.

I wasn't sure whether to feel complimented or offended by that.

"Stefan called me," she said.

"What?" Damon whipped around to look at her.

"Stefan called me last night," she repeated.

I stood up. "Well, what'd he say?" Damon asked.

"He didn't say anything, but it was him. I asked Sheriff Forbes if she would trace the call's origin. It came from Tennessee."

"Where he's binge drinking on the country folk," Damon said sardonically. "We went through this, Elena. Stefan's gone. I don't mean geographically."

"If he was gone, he wouldn't have called," Elena tried.

Damon burnt everything he had in his closet and stormed out of the room. Elena sat down on his bed as I followed him out of the room.

"Hey, Damon!" I called after him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"What?" he spat.

"You can't give up on him," I said as he glared at me. "He never gave up on you."

His expression softened. He didn't struggle under my grip, the vampire could have easily thrown me off, but he didn't. "I didn't kill his girlfriend."

"You did some pretty crappy things, though, Damon. Like, turning Vicki Donovan and killing numerous people." He narrowed his eyes at me. "Falling in love with his girlfriend..." No emotion. What the hell was wrong with him? "I could go on all day. But he never gave up on you."

"I thought you were against getting him back."

"I was, but then he called Elena... maybe there is hope after all." I gave him a large smile, which he returned. "You want to get your brother back, I want to get my best friend back. But until then, how about we have a relax day?"

He rose an eyebrow. "Relax day?"

I nodded. "We could watch TV, play on your Xbox, whatever you want."

"I'm not Stefan you know," Damon said. "I'm not your replacement best friend."

I patted his shoulder. "No, you're not. Which is why we can play more gorey games. Stefan gets into ripper mode when we play _Call of Duty_. So, I've had to settle with _Crash Bandicoot _on the PS3."

"Sounds like Stefan." He let out a small chuckle. "If you insist on being my therapist, then we're gonna do something fun."

"Like what?"

He smirked mischievously. "Dance party."

* * *

I jumped on the couch, dancing. I took a swig of the alcohol as Damon danced like a goof, his shirt unbuttoned revealing his toned chest.

I jumped down and went over to him. He spun me around and gripped my waist. I swayed my hips against his lower body. I was actually having fun. I had never been the party girl type, but Damon had brought something out in me. Something _fun_.

"You know, this is reminding me of my time with my mentor, Sage," Damon whispered huskily in my ear. "She taught me every I know."

I grinned as his grip tightened. "How to be a murderous vampire?"

"How to have fun." He turned me around and held me closer to him. Damon wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Maybe I could teach you."

My heartbeat quickened and I felt something I never felt for Damon before. I glanced down to his lips and edged closer to him.

_"Ah... Girl look at that body._  
_"Girl look at that body._  
_"Girl look at that body._  
_"Ah... I work out."_

I tore away from him. "Seriously, Damon? _Sexy and I know it_? _That_'s your ringtone?"

He shrugged. "I'm sexy-" I scoffed and he smirked. "-and I certainly know it."

I rolled my eyes. "Just answer the damn thing, you cocky bastard."

Amusement was laced in my tone, so Damon didn't get offended. He chuckled and answered his phone. "Ah, Alaric, what can I do for you?" His face fell. "She _what_?"

* * *

Damon and I arrived at the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. "I mean, what the hell is wrong with your sister?" Damon growled. "Does she have a death wish?"

"I hope not, but she's not the brightest, I suppose."

"She's gonna get herself killed looking for Stefan," Damon said.

He pushed a branch out of his way and in flung back to me. It would have hit me straight in the face if I hadn't ducked. "Damon!" I shrieked. "That almost hit me!"

He shrugged. "Heh."

I rolled my eyes and scoffed. "Quit being a dick."

Damon smiled innocently. "It's my greatest quality." We looked ahead to see Alaric and Elena.

The old vampire vamped over to them and pushed Elena into the water. I sprinted over to them and threw my hands in the air. "What the _hell _Damon!"

Elena's gaze shot to the two of us. "Damon? Louise? How are you two even here?"

"Thanks for the tip, brother," Damon said to Alaric, smiling.

Elena narrowed her eyes at Alaric accusingly. "You sold me out!"

"You think I'd take you to a mountain range of werewolves on a full moon without backup?"

* * *

Elena stayed in the water stubbornly, her arms crossed. "Come on, Elena," I said to her.

"If I get out of the water, you're gonna make me go home," Elena accused.

"Yes, because she's not an idiot like you," Damon snapped.

I patted Damon on the back in a friendly gesture. "Aw... thanks Dames."

He rolled his eyes. "Right now, you're all acting like idiots," Alaric said.

"You two gave up on him," Elena spoke up, looking to Damon and I. "You're suppose to be his best friend and _you_-" she pointed her finger at Damon. "-are suppose to be his brother."

"I didn't give up on him, Elena. I faced reality. Now get out of the water," Damon demanded.

"No!" she protested.

"What's your big plan, Elena? Huh? You gonna walk through a campsite full of werewolves, roast a marshmallow, and wait for Stefan to stop by?" the raven-haired vampire taunted, getting into the water.

"My plan is to find him and help him. Damon, this is the closest that we've been to him since he left. I'm not going home!"

"Klaus thinks you died when he broke the curse. That makes you safe. This... this is not safe," he tried to reason with the stubborn Gilbert.

Granted, I was stubborn too, but at least I was mildly intelligent. Now was not the time to save Stefan, we'd have to negociate with Klaus. The time just didn't feel right.

"I'm not leaving before we find him." Elena pouted.

"It's a full moon tonight, Elena."

"Then we'll find him before then. Damon, please," my twin begged.

"Okay. Okay. But we are out of here before the moon is full and I'm werewolf bait."

"I promise."

"Unless you wanna relive that whole deathbed kissy thing..."

Elena didn't want to talk about that and, for some reason, I didn't want to hear about it. "I said I promise."

And then she came out willingly.

* * *

I looked up to the sky. The sun was setting which meant crazy, vampire-hungry wolves would be roaming around the forest in the next few hours, looking to kill some vampires.

"We've got a mile left," I said. "And the sun's about to set."

"I can see that, Louise," Elena sort of snapped.

I held my hands up in defense. "Just sayin'," I said in an 'I'm innocent, don't hurt me' kind of voice.

"The moon doesn't reach its apex for a while. We have time," Elena assured us.

The silence of the supposedly empty woods was ruined when we heard a twig snap. A guy who looked incredibly worn and ill approached us. Alaric held up his crossbow.

"Stay where you are!" Alaric warned him.

_Hybrid_, I realised. And if he was anything like Klaus, it meant that his bite was lethal any time of day. He looked to Damon. "_Vampire_."

He rushed over to Damon and began to fight him, pressing him against the try. I panicked when he went to bite him and stepped behind the crazy hybrid. It was a trick I learned from Bonnie's grimoires.

I put my hands on either side of the hybrid's head and muttered the spell. I felt the power surge through me. He dropped to the ground, unconscious.

"What did you do?" Alaric asked from behind me.

I stared at the guy's limp body. "It's kind of like electrocution. He'll be out for a couple of minutes, long enough to tie him up to interrogate him."

Damon put a hand on my shoulder awkwardly. I smirked at his unhappiness of having to be saved. "Thanks," he said through gritted teeth.

"You're very welcome."

Alaric kicked over the man's body. "Let me guess... _hybrid_."

_'_

* * *

Damon and Alaric were tying the hybrid to a tree. "These ropes aren't gonna hold him much longer. What else do we have?"

Elena sprayed the rope with vervain. "Ric, here. Take these."

Damon went to take it and grunted in pain. "Ah! Ow!" he exclaimed.

I gave him a pointed and amused look. "She did say Ric."

Damon glared at me as Alaric took the vervain and sprayed it around him. "All right, that's the last of the vervain. We don't have enough stuff to hold him. I don't think we're gonna make that Ridge before the full moon," Ric explained.

"If we can get him to talk, we don't have to," Elena said.

Ray awoke and yelled. "Oh my God!" I shrieked. "I think he's turning!"

Elena shook her head. "It's impossible. It's still daylight."

"Tell him that," Ric said, gesturing to the hybrid.

Damon - _stupidly _- got closer to the hybrid and caught his shoulders. "There aren't supposed to be werewolves out here until the moon is full," Elena said.

"When he turns, those ropes won't be able to hold him," I said. I gripped Damon's shoulder and tried to pull him away from the transforming hybrid. "Damon, we have to get out of here. _Now_! Damon, now!"

We ran into the forest. I wasn't sure why Damon didn't vamp away, he was the one the wolves really wanted. Werewolves hunted vampires as their chosen prey due to centuries of being slaughtered by them.

I tripped over a tree root and fell to the ground. When I was about to stand up, Damon warned, "Don't move." I rose my head to look at a wolf. I tried to keep my heartbeat under control. "Here, doggie, doggie."

Damon vamped away and the werewolf ran after him. "Come on. Let's keep moving," Alaric said as he helped me up.

"We can't leave Damon," Elena insisted from behind him.

"He can handle himself. Let's move," Ric urged.

"_No_. If he gets bit, he'll be dead. I'm the reason he's out here!"

"_I _am the reason he's out here. I told him where we were, and I'm telling you to keep moving. Let's go. Elena, Louise! Now!"

* * *

Reluctantly, Ric put us in his car. Elena sat in the front seat while I stretched my legs across the back seats. "Stefan's out there somewhere and now Damon, and we're just sitting in this car?" Elena asked rhetorically.

"Let the vampires fight the hybrid zombie mountain man. I'll take care of keeping the humans-" he gestured to us. "-safe."

I sat up quickly. "_Hey_! I am not a human! I'm a witch who's perfectly capable of defending herself. Did you not _see _what I did out there? I totally saved your asses."

Alaric chuckled. "You certainly did, Louise, but maybe, as the adult, I should be one saving your asses."

I popped my head through the gap between the driver and passenger seats. "I thought you were done taking care of people, Ric," I teased, grinned.

Ric sighed. "I know what you're doing. Don't. There doesn't need to be a lesson here."

"You're better at it than you think, you know," Elena assured him.

I nodded. "Uh-huh."

"Oh, boy, are you two suckers for a lost cause or what?" Ric asked us.

"You're not a lost cause, Ric," Elena said, "You're just lost. But so is Jeremy, so is Louise-" I opened my mouth to protest, but she continued anyway. "-and so am I. Our family is gone. We don't have anybody. I'm sorry, but you don't have anybody either, so... We're kind of good for each other."

"I'm keeping the ring, then."

I smiled happily. _Yay_! We get a new member in the family!

I saw Damon approach the car. "Damon?" I said, getting out of Ric's car.

"Are you okay?" I asked him, examining the vampire for bites. "Did you, uh..."

"Fine, bite-free. Get back in the car, please," Damon urged snappishly.

I put my hands on my hips. "Hey, drop the tone. Can you please just give me a minute or two to savour the sweet fact that you're not dead?"

"Since when did you care?" he asked, raising a curious eyebrow.

"I... uh..." I rubbed the nape of my neck awkwardly. "I don't. I just don't want Stefan coming back home to a dead brother and wasting decades with a psycho maniac hybrid for nothing."

He rolled his eyes. "I'll give you ten seconds. Nine... eight..."

"Anyway," I cut him off. "My stuff is in your car."

He groaned. "Hey, Ric did you happen to see where I parked my car?"

* * *

"Well... that was a waste of a day," I said to Damon as he drove us home. "Got attacked by crazy hybrid zombie with no Stefan-results. We came for nothing."

"That's uh..." He stopped. It looked as if he was debating whether or not to tell me something. "That's not true."

I sat up straight. "You saw Stefan?"

He nodded slowly. "He doesn't want to be found, Louise."

"We can't give up," I said. "I know you don't want to give up, Damon. So don't."

"What's up with you lately?" I shot him a questioning 'what the hell are you on about' look. "You're being... nice. Are far as I'm concerned, you hate my guts."

"I never hated you. I just didn't particularly like you."

"Why the sudden change?" he asked. "Do you want me to be a replacement Stefan?"

"For the second time, _no_," I insisted. "Maybe... maybe I actually care about you. Is that illegal or something? Before, I saw you as some screwed up guy who didn't give a crap about anyone, but your humanity is showing... and I like that."

"So you are trying to make me into Stefan." He nodded, thinking he understood what I was saying.

He parked the car in front of the Salvatore boarding house. "No. I'm not. I like that you're not Stefan. You're... eh... dangerous. Maybe I like that about you." I gave him a smile smile. "Why are you so insecure when it comes to him?"

He scoffed. "Because he's the _good_ brother that everyone chooses. Katherine... Elena."

"Oh," I said quietly.

"What would you think if I told you I was... over Elena."

My head snapped over to him. "I'd say you were lying."

He edged closer to me. "What if I wasn't?" Damon brushed a lose strand of hair from my face. I shivered from his touch.

The vampire captured his lips in mine, his hand softly gripping the back of my head. What was I doing? He was in love with Elena... my _sister_. He was using me as her replacement.

I pulled away from him, panting heavily. His icy blue eyes stared into mine. "Let's make one thing clear. I am _not _an Elena replacement."

"Done."

* * *

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	3. The End of the Affair

_The End of the Affair_

"Rise and shine, sleepy head."

I jumped awake, startled. Damon was smirking beside me, lying down on my bed as if he belonged there. Wait, did we... I checked to see if I was wearing clothes. Yes! Thank God... Then I remembered we kissed, which made things a whole lot awkward.

"What are you doing, Damon?" I said in a 'I'm not gonna even bother' tone. "It's not polite to creep up beside people when they're sleeping."

"I know you were dreaming about me and our little kiss last night." He wiggled his eyebrows and I scoffed. "Too bad it didn't go any further. You look lovely in those jamees, by the way. Absolutely... delicious."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Don't even think about it, Salvatore."

"Don't tell me you regret it," Damon said, watching me as I got up out of bed. "You know you loved it."

"I never denied-" His smirk grew. I groaned. "_Damon_! What are you doing here? At six..." I gestured to the alarm clock. "...in the morning."

"Fine, don't come with me to bring Stefan home. See ya."

My stomach dropped. Damon got up from my bed and edged for the door. "Wait!" He stopped in front of my chest of drawers. "Where's Stefan?"

"Windy city," he replied.

"_Chicago_?" I exclaimed in disbelief. "Wow. At least he has taste. How do you know?"

"It came to me in a dream. I was naked. You would have loved it. Start packing and get your sister," he teased. Damon pulled open one of my drawers and searched through it. He took out my black bra like a little pervert. "Ooh... put these in the 'yes' pile."

I snatched it away from him and glared. "I thought you'd be more than happy to tell Elena that you found Stefan. You could be her knight in shining armour."

He shrugged. "Not interested."

"Since when?" I questioned. He pursed his lips. "_Damon Salvatore_, I-"

"I don't know, alright?" he snapped. He took a deep breath and his voice softened. "There was this girl. With striking blue eyes and soft, curly brown hair. She wasn't used to being loved... she didn't want to trust. Her name was Louise Gilbert."

He brushed my hair behind my ear gently. "How do I know you're not lying, huh?" I asked, trying to sound tough, but my voice was breaking. "How do I know you're not just using me to get to Elena?"

"I haven't loved Elena in a long time," he insisted.

I rolled my eyes. "_Sure_. Damon, I don't want to be played."

I turned around, but he grabbed my wrist and pulled me to him, cradling me in his arms. "I promise. I promise I won't hurt you."

Letting out a small laugh, I responded. "Going all Elijah on me now with epic promises?"

"I'll keep this one." He kissed my forehead tenderly.

I watched him as he left, trying to ignore the urge to run after him. I didn't know I felt this way until yesterday... I didn't know _he _felt that way.

"Hey."

I smiled at my younger twin. "We're going on a road trip. Damon knows Stefan's in Chicago."

"How?"

I shrugged. "How does Damon know anything? I've learned to just go with the flow. Why are you up so early?"

"I heard you and Damon talking. Ooh, wear that one." She pointed to a blue frilly top. I laughed at her Caroline-ness and shook my head. "What's up with you two?"

My cheeks reddened. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

"Louise, I just don't want you to get hurt."

I pulled out the top 'angrily' and threw it on the bed. "Why would I get hurt? There's nothing going on between us."

"What did he say?" Elena pressed.

"He just told me about Stefan, that's all," I lied.

Elena didn't seem to buy it, but forgot her stubborn self and dropped it for once. "Alright then. I'm gonna get changed."

* * *

Damon was driving. I sat beside him, looking at a map of Florida. "I sure hope we find him, 'cause it would suck if the last momento of Stefan was that crappy old necklace," he said to Elena, looking at her in the mirror.

"It's an antique, Damon. Like you," she quipped.

"Ooh..." I laughed. "She got you there."

He took out a diary. "Read this. Paints a pretty little picture of Stefan's first experience in Chicago. Just give it to Louise when you're done.

"It's Stefan's diary. I'm not going to invade his private thoughts," Elena said, ever the 'leaver-aloner.' It was funny... the girl who stole my clothes was going on about respecting someone's privacy. Granted, I stole her clothes too. It was kind of a thing we had.

"You need to be prepared for what you're about to see," Damon told her.

"I've seen Stefan in his darkest periods," Elena told him, talking about when Stefan went on a small ripper-binge. "I can handle it."

He opened the diary. "Here's one. March twelfth, 1922." Damon did his best Stefan-impression. "'I've blacked out days. I wake up in strangers' blood, in places I don't recognize with women I don't remember.'" He looked back at Elena, smirking. "Ah! I'm shocked! Stefan's not a virgin?"

I snatched the diary from his hand. "This looks interesting." I flaunted it in Elena's face. "Sure you don't want to read about Stefan's ripper life?"

She rolled her eyes and took it from me. I grinned. "Eyes on the road, grandma," she said to Damon.

"Yeah, not all of us can survive large amounts of trauma," I said.

"Fine. Back to my game. Tell me if you see a Florida plate."

* * *

We approached the door of Stefan's old apartment. "So... Stefan could compel himself a house _anywhere _and he chose this place?" I asked Damon.

"There used to be an all-girls high school around the corner, but it shut down for attendance issues. Weird."

"If you're trying to scare us into giving up and going back, it's not going to work." I nodded in approval.

Damon shushed us and broke the lock. He opened the door and we all stepped inside. "Here we are. Stefan's second personality home."

"He obviously hasn't been here," Elena stated.

"Tour isn't over yet."

He opened a hidden door in the wall. Stefan seemed to have stashed his alcohol in there. "Wow, Stefan hid his alcohol. Maybe we should send him to vampire juvey?"

"Look harder. Both of you."

We got closer to the hidden room. I noticed a list of names on the wall. I thought it was a list of all the girls he slept with, but Stefan wasn't that good-looking (though he was _extremely _handsome) and he was straight, so I knocked that off my idea list.

"It's a list of names," Elena said.

"Mhm," Damon approved.

"His victims," I realised, staring at all the names.

"Still handling it?" Damon asked us.

"What were you doing in the 1920s? Paving the way for women's liberation?" Elena said.

"I was around. Chicago's a big city. Stefan was a cocky ripper douche. But I could avoid him and still indulge in a few Daisy Buchanans of my own," Damon said, his signature smirk plastered on his face.

My features twisted in disgust. It looked that he was leaving. "Where are you going?" I pressed, edging towards him.

"His old stomping ground."

"We're coming with you," Elena insisted.

"No. You two stay here and whip up an actual plan. I'll come back when I find him."

* * *

I read Stefan's diary from over Elena's shoulder. The poor guy really had it bad. If I was a vampire - which I hoped _never _happened - I'd probably become addicted to blood. If blood was anything like chocolate, that is.

"_April, 1922. _Lexi found me last night, dragged me off the train tracks. Thinks she can make me care again. _June, 1924... _Lexi's driving me crazy. More animal blood, more misery. _1935... _cravings are there, but it's easier. Lexi's on to her next project... Getting me to laugh."

I heard someone at the door, as did Elena. We began to panic. I dragged her into the hidden closet.

"What a charming little homestead. Do you feel that? Is anybody here?" Klaus, my aunt Jenna's murderer, said.

It was squishy in the closet. I could smell Elena's lavender perfume. "It's been vacant for decades. People must break in all the time. Why'd you bring me here?"

"Your friend, Liam Grant, the one who drank his wife's blood... I never could figure out why you wanted his name. And then you told me your little secret. It was all part of your special little ritual," the hybrid told him.

Elena pointed to Liam Grant's name on the list. We shared a worried look. "To write it down," Stefan realised.

"And relive the kill... Over and over again," Klaus teased. He opened the hidden door. "You believe me now?"

Stefan entered the closet. His head snapped over to us, his eyes widening. Hope flashed in Elena's eyes as fear flashed in mine. The light in his eyes... the light that was in my best friend's eyes... it was gone. They were empty.

"Look what I found."

Was he really gonna rat us out? His best friend and his girlfriend? _Seriously_?

Stefan grabbed a bottle and stepped out of the closet. "1918. Single malt."

"My favorite," Klaus said. "Let's go and find someone to pair it with."

Stefan closed the closet.

When we were sure the hybrid and the almost ripper vampire were gone, we got out of the ripper closet. I brushed my jeans which had gotten dust on it. "He didn't rat us out," Elena stated with a smile. "There's still good in him."

I smiled back at her. "I know." My face fell when I remembered that look in his eyes. There was no light, but it was like he was begging me. Begging me to save him. When he came back to Mystic Falls, I was going to try to be his new Lexi. "We're gonna help him."

Elena nodded. "We have to call Damon."

She dialed his number on her phone and rang him. "Damon! Louise and I almost got discovered by Klaus..."

As she rambled on, my eyes lingered on the list of names that my best friend killed.

* * *

We heard someone outside the flat. 'Klaus,' I mouthed to Elena.

She got a vervain dart and pressed herself against the wall, dragging me beside her.

But it wasn't Klaus, it Damon. Thank God. "Finally! I called you an hour ago!" Elena exclaimed.

He handed the two of us a shopping bag. I raised an eyebrow. "Make yourselves presentable. I know where Stefan's going to be tonight."

He sat down on the couch. I looked in the bag. There was a perfectly folded white dress inside.

"Elena was almost discovered by Klaus and you went _shopping_?" I exclaimed. "What if he came back, huh?"

"I had an hour to realize what a bad idea it was to leave you here alone, process it, and move on. Are you okay?" he asked the both of us.

I nodded. "Yeah," Elena replied.

"Okay, good. Get dressed. You're all road-trippy and gross."

"So you know where he's going to be?" Elena aske him.

"Yes, with Klaus. So I'll distract Klaus and you two deal with Stefan," Damon told us. "Who better than his Lexi-like best friend and his girl?"

Elena smiled. "Okay. Thank you."

"But you're going to have about five minutes tops before that hybrid freak rips my heart out. So please, tell me you can do this."

"I can do this," she said.

He turned to me. "Louise?"

I grinned at him. "Let's de-ripperfy my best friend."

* * *

Elena and I waited by the car. Stefan joined Damon outside. "What is wrong with you?" Stefan exclaimed, angry at his big brother.

"What is wrong with you? You kill Andie one day, then you save my life the next. What are you good, bad? Pick one!"

"Klaus almost saw Elena and Louise today. You have to get Elena out of Chicago," Stefan told him.

"She's not going anywhere until she's got you checked into vampire rehab and on the mend. And Louise is adamant about being your new Lexi. Trust me. I've tried."

"She is the key to everything. Klaus can't know that Elena's alive."

"What are you talking about?" Damon asked him.

"She was supposed to die in the sacrifice and she didn't. Now Klaus can't create any new hybrids. His witch is seconds away from figuring that out. Tell Elena to go home and forget about me. Tell Louise as well."

"Tell them yourself," Damon said, stepping aside.

Stefan saw us. Elena approached her ripper boyfriend. "You shouldn't be here," Stefan said. "Neither of you should be here!"

"Where else would I be?" Elena asked him.

"What do you want? Damon won't be able to distract Klaus for long."

She caressed his cheek. I smiled at them and shoved my hands in my pockets to stay warm. Elena and Stefan were really in love. "Come home," she begged him.

Elena wrapped her arms around him. She pointed the vervain dart to his back, ready to plunge it into him and knock him out, but Stefan was too quick and grabbed her wrist too tightly. She squirmed.

"How much clearer can I make it? I don't want to come home! Klaus is obsessed with siring these hybrids. The second he knows you're alive, he'll figure out why it's not working."

"Look, I know you're trying to protect me, but I can't let you do it. Come with us, Stefan, please."

"And what do you expect if I do? Huh? It's never going to be the same, Elena," Stefan told her.

"I know that."

"I don't think you do. I've left bodies scattered from Florida to Tennessee. Innocent people. _Humans_."

"Lexi found you like this before. In the twenties, and... And she saved you." She gestured behind her to me. "Louise can help you. She might be able to talk to her..."

"And you know what I did after that? After Lexi saved me? I spent years trying to pull myself together. To a vampire, that's nothing. To you? That's half your life. And that was with Lexi, who's fully trained. The biggest addiction Louise has is chocolate."

I smiled at him kindly. "At least you still remember." I walked over to them and put a hand on his shoulder. "We're not giving up on you, Stefan."

"Yes, you can. It's done. That part of my life is done. I don't want to see either of you. I don't want to be with you, Elena." He turned to me. "And I don't want to be your best friend. I just want you two to go."

* * *

How stupid could I have been? Thinking Stefan would come back to us? Thinking that he would happily play _Crash Bandicoot _with me, ignoring all of his urges. That I could help him, without having any training in that field. I pressed my head against the window.

Elena loved Stefan as a boyfriend, but Stefan was my rock too. He was my best friend, the guy who I trusted more that anyone else. And he told me he didn't want to see me anymore... he didn't want to be my best friend.

That was the reality. Stefan never wanted to be found.

Damon got into the seat beside me. "You okay?" he asked.

I bit my lip. "Just drive."

* * *

"You're still here. I thought you would have went home by now," Damon stated, walking into the parlor.

He poured us two more shots of tequila and handed one to me. "Why would I want to go home when I can stay and chat with you?" Damon sighed and sat on the arm chair and threw back the contents of his glass into his mouth. "You're brooding. That isn't a good sign."

"He's really gone," Damon stated sadly.

"He'll come back," I assured him. "Eventually."

"When most of the people in this town are old or dead, including you and Elena," Damon said, pouring another shot.

"That's still eventually," I insisted. "You haven't lost him forever, Damon."

He examined me for a moment, not creepily. It was like he was looking for something. A flicker of doubt? "How can you still care about me?"

"I've answered this question."

"I'm a dick."

I snorted. "Yeah, you're a dick.`A murderous psychotic dick, but you are my friend."

He drank another shot. "Why?"

I gave up with the small, portioned shots and just grabbed the bottle. I downed it, taking large gulps.

When I was satisfied, I took the bottle away from my mouth. "I don't know. I just do."

Damon scoffed. "A little detail would be nice."

I stood up. "You want detail? I like the danger about you." He got to his feet and stood in front of me. I could feel his breath on my cheek. This was drunkness talking... it had to be, but what was coming out of my mouth was the truth. "It's alluring and it's intriguing. I don't want some fairytale romance like the ones you have in novels, I want danger."

He cupped my face in his hands and stared into my eyes. "I'll give you danger."

"One condition," I said, my voice was trembling. I didn't like trusting people... or opening up to them. It seemed like everyone I loved died. "Promise me you won't hurt me."

He thumb stroked my cheek. "I won't hurt you."

I smiled at him, happy with the answer. In one quick moment, I smashed my lips on him, throwing my arms around him.

I wasn't the most moral person. I used to secretly have one-night stands with boys I barely knew. Jenna found me in bed with one of the man-sluts in the school last summer and took me to have an STD test. I had to pee in a cup! The most embarrassing experience someone _ever _had to go through was an STD test.

I wrapped my legs around his torso and pulled his top over his head. I ran my hands along his back.

He vamped us up to his room. He took off my top in one swift motion and threw me on the bed. The Salvatore brother tugged at my jeans, looking to me for consent. I smirked at him, which he took as a yes.

Damon kissed my stomach, all the way up to my neck. "Bite me," I moaned. "Do it."

He looked more than pleased as he plunged his fangs into my neck. It pierced my skin, but it only hurt for a few minutes until I began to enjoy it. He only drained a bit of my blood and then fed me his to heal me. The sight of my blood on his lips somehow aroused me.

That night, I did the unthinkable.

I, Louise Gilbert, slept with Damon Salvatore.


	4. Disturbing Behaviour

_Disturbing Behaviour_

I woke up in an unfamiliar but yet familiar place that was not my bedroom. It had been a year since my last one-night stand... a year since I had sex. God I missed the thrill. The supernatural really screwed up my sex life.

I turned my head to see Damon, propped up with his head in his hand. "We had one hell of a night."

"Nobody finds out." His face fell and I grinned. "Not yet anyway."

"You're amazing, you know that?"

I sat up and ran my fingers through my messy hair. "I've figured."

I threw my legs over the side of the bed and strapped on my bra. Damon ran his finger down my back. "Come back for more tonight?"

Grinning madly, I got on top of Damon, a leg on each side of him, and kissed him. "Of course."

"Should we make this a regular thing, then?" He wiggled his eyebrows. "The two of us - supernaturals with benefits?"

I nodded and giggled. "Supernaturals with benefits it is."

* * *

Damon drove me back to my house. He kissed me on the porch passionately, and I kissed him back even more passionately. Then I came to my senses and pulled away. "Ahem, public!"

He smirked. "I thought you liked danger."

I laughed at him and smacked his arm. "Shut up."

He caressed my cheek. Thrill raced through me and I relaxed beneath his touch, that was until I saw Caroline pulling up in the driveway and I jumped away from him. She got out of the car, a dish in her hand.

"Ah, vampire barbie," Damon said. "She always has to ruin my fun."

I smacked him on the arm again and shot him a look. Caroline looked between us suspiciously. "I better be going. See ya Louise, barbie."

Caroline glared at him as he left. As soon as he was out of sight, she glared at me. "_Damon_? Seriously?"

"No," I lied. "We're not... anything."

"Elena told me you didn't come home last night," Caroline replied. "And I can _smell _him on you. Please tell me you didn't sleep with him."

"So what if I did?"

_Shut the hell up! _I hissed to myself. I just admitted... _argh_.

"You did what?" Caroline shrieked in a high and girly voice. "You slept with D-" She lowered her voice. "You slept with Damon? I mean, I knew he was interested, but-"

"Wait, what?"

"You didn't know?" Caroline asked. I shook my head. "The way he looks at you?" I furrowed my brows. "Wow. You may get straight-A's, Louise, but it looks like you are not that smart when it comes to boys. Even Elena noticed it... Bonnie and even Jeremy! So.. Damon finally admitted it."

I rolled my eyes. "You're bonkers."

She shook her head. "I'm not. But I don't think he's in love with you... or anyone for that matter. A selfish ass like Damon can't love anyone but himself."

"Wow, Caroline, rip away. I guess it's only my feelings," I snapped.

My anger was diminished when I saw a certain black-haired witch get out of Caroline's car. "Bonnie!" I screamed in girlish delight. "You're back!"

I ran over to her and pounced on the witch, attacking her with a hug. "I love you, I love you, I love you!" I repeated.

Caroline shushed me. "We wanted to surprise you and Elena, but I guess it's only Elena we'll be surprising."

"Oh right." I linked my arm in Bonnie's. "Come on now Bonnie-pie."

The pretty witch laughed. "Alright then, Louisikins."

Caroline rang the doorbell, practically squirming with excitement. The previous animosity seemed to be magically cured by Bonnie-ness. Elena opened the door.

"I come bearing gifts!" she announced.

Elena's eyes fell on the dish in her hands. "Please say that's not chili..."

She stepped aside to reveal Bonnie and me. "Bonnie!" Elena exclaimed, smiling.

Bonnie smiled. "I'm back!" The two friends embraced. "I leave town for the summer and everything goes to hell for the three of you."

We shared a glance. You have no idea, Bonnie... My baby brother Jeremy came down the stairs. "Bonnie!" he exclaimed happily.

"Jeremy."

Bonnie rushed over to him and kissed him. My best friend was good with my brother... which was incredibly odd. But Jeremy didn't do drugs and Bonnie was a good influence on him, not to mention Bonnie got to have a boyfriend who was normalish... considering he could see ghosts (which I hadn't told anyone about).

Bonnie hugged him and Jeremy looked over her shoulder to what I presumed to be a ghost.

* * *

"The problem with my dad's _normal _side of the family is normal made for a really boring summer," Bonnie said.

"After the last few days, I would kill for a normal family."

Caroline had explained to us that her dad came back to town and tortured her. Bill Forbes used to be a kind man, the type of man I'd have never thought would be capable of hurting his daughter. But like most vampire hunters, their hatred got the best of them.

"So... Louise, what's the deal with you and Damon?" Caroline pressed, trying to get me to 'fess up.

"There's nothing going on," I said, smiling a very forced smile.

"Oh, really?" Caroline scoffed.

Elena looked between us. "Louise... what happened?"

I shook my head. "Nothing happened. God! Why does everyone have to get into business!"

"Because we care about you," Caroline said. "And knocking around with Damon isn't a good choice... at all."

"Wait, have I missed something?" Bonnie asked us.

"Damon's finally acted on his feelings," the vampire barbie told Bonnie. I rolled my eyes.

Bonnie's gaze shot over to me. "You didn't..."

I threw my hands in the air. "Maybe I did. What's so bad about that?"

"This isn't you," Elena said. "Real you wouldn't just jump into bed with Damon."

I scoffed. "_Real _me? Maybe this is the real me! In case you guys haven't noticed, I'm not perfect."

"Ah!" Elena screamed suddenly, her necklace was sizzling. "My necklace." She took it in her hand, their was a scorch mark on her skin. "It burned me."

"Maybe it's a sign you shouldn't be wearing it," Caroline said.

"Caroline..." Bonnie warned, ever the peace keeper. "Let me see it."

Bonnie touched the necklace. It looked like she got an electric shock when she flinched away from it. Elena dropped it on the ground.

Looked like we had more pressing issues than my sex life.

* * *

I sat beside Elena on a bench in the Lockwood Mansion courtyard, Caroline on my other side. Bonnie joined us, her grimoire in her hand. Bonnie was chief-witch, she was the one with the access to the grimoires and she had better witch skills.

"I have an identification spell that might be able to tell me what magic affected the necklace."

Elena handed her the necklace. "It's going to take a while, so tell me if anyone's coming, okay?"

Caroline looked over to me. "So, you and Damon... you're not a thing, right?"

"What?" I asked her, though I totally knew what she was on about.

"Caroline..." Bonnie warned for the second time today.

But nosy Caroline wouldn't shut up. "Stay focused." She turned back to me. "As your friend you loves you and worries for you daily, what's the deal with you and Damon?"

"We slept together," I said. "I like him."

"You just jumped into bed with him?" Caroline pressed. "No feelings whatsoever?"

"Well, yeah... I have feelings for him." The blonde narrowed her eyea at me. "He has feelings for me... we slept together. End of."

"He's not good for you," Caroline insisted.

"He cares about me."

"Yeah, but that doesn't make him any less Damon. If my own father, who I love dearly, can't change me. No one's changing Damon. Not even you."

Maybe I didn't want him to change...

"Caroline, maybe you should lay off a bit," Elena said.

Caroline rolled her eyes, ready to rip some more when Bonnie interrupted her. "Hey, guys..."

The necklace was levitating over Bonnie's grimiore. "What are you doing?"

"I'm not doing anything. It has its own magic."

We all looked over at Elena.

* * *

Damon looked at the chilli made by the other founding families. Alaric came over to him. "I'm going to let you in on a little secret... Founders parties are just an excuse for the council to gather in back rooms and plot against vampires."

"Hey, uh, I think you need to take a beat with Louise," Ric said honestly.

Damon was taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"Whatever it is you two have going on, I think it's a bad idea," the hunter told the vampire.

"I don't really think it's your problem, Ric," he snapped.

"It is my problem," Ric said. "I'm supposed to look after her, and this is me doing that."

"Maybe I actually care about her? Did you think about that?" Damon spat.

"What I _think _is you need to take a beat."

Damon was about to snap at the hunter some more when the sheriff joined them. "Damon? Sorry. Uh, the mayor just called for the council meeting."

* * *

"Did Stefan ever tell you where he got the necklace?" Caroline asked Elena.

"No. And I never asked. Hopefully Bonnie will be able to figure it out," Elena replied.

Alaric joined us. "Please tell me it's time to go."

I used to say that to Mom all the time when we were at the supermarket. "Beyond," I said. "Where's Damon?"

"Probably off somewhere doing bad things to good people," Caroline said. I shot her a dirty look. She raised her hands in defense. "Consider me the honesty police."

Suddenly, she started to panic. "What is it?" Elena pressed.

"What's the matter?" Alaric asked her.

"It's my dad," she said.

We turned around to see Bill Forbes. "Didn't Damon compel him to leave or something?" I said.

"I don't know. But I can't..."

Elena nodded understandingly. "I get it. I'll call you later."

Caroline left hurriedly, not wanting to see her bastard of a father who tortured her. "Okay, what was that all about?" Ric asked.

"Speaking of doing bad things to good people..."

We left the room and went outside. Damon approached us. "Wait, wait, Houston, we have a problem."

"Where have you been?" I asked the vampire.

"Managing Bill Forbes. Apparently he's impervious to compulsion."

"How?" Alaric inquired.

Damon shrugged. "I have no idea. But he threatened to out me. Don't get me started on the irony of that."

"What did you do to him?" Elena accused. "How do you know the compulsion doesn't work?"

Damon groaned. "That's not the most important piece of information I mentioned, Elena."

"What does he want?" Ric pressed.

"He wants to control the council. Says it's been compromised."

Ric nodded. "It has."

"He wants to put vervain in the town's water supply."

"Maybe it's not a bad idea. I mean, it'll help you keep yourself in control now that Stefan's not here to..." Elena drawled off.

"To what? To keep me in check? Make me behave? I should have killed him this morning," Damon growled.

"No you shouldn't have," I said. "Bill Forbes is Caroline's dad, Damon."

"Yeah, and when I kill him, she'll have one more parent than we do."

"Oh, come on, Damon!" Ric tried.

"You're repeatedly killing my buzz today, Ric. Step aside," Damon demanded of Ric, who was standing in his way.

"Yeah, it's not going to happen."

Damon shrugged nonchalantly. "Your temporary funeral."

Alaric snapped Damon's neck. "Damon, no! What is wrong with you?" I yelled.

He looked at me, a flash of guilt on his perfectly sculptured face. But of course, it disappeared and he walked away.

_Off somewhere doing bad things to good people._

That's was Damon did.

Was it bad that I kind of felt attracted to that trait of his?

* * *

I ran into the study when I heard Damon and Caroline's fight. "Well, I'm angrier!" Caroline exclaimed.

She broke his arm easily and threw him against the wall. She got up and left with her dad. Caroline forgave people so easily... it was admirable of her, to be honest.

"Bummer, I love a good girl fight."

There was blood on his mouth. "I know you're a vampire, Damon, and I know you need to feed, but do you have to kill the people that I care about? Is that really necessary?"

"Yes."

I shook my head sadly. "You can't do this anymore. You're hurting the people who care about you-"

"Why not? Hurting people... It's nothing I haven't done before. Why is it suddenly so important for everyone to keep me in check?" Damon asked.

"Because I don't want you to be what other people think that you are," I admitted.

"What? A monster? Sorry to disappoint you, Louise, but last time I checked, I was still a vampire!"

I threw my hands in the air. "I just wish you stopped hurting the people around me! Is that so much to ask?"

"Yes, Louise. Maybe it is."

* * *

After a rough talk with Alaric, Damon didn't want to talk to anyone. So, when the doorbell rang, he knew that whoever it was... that better have a good reason for calling by.

He opened the door to see Elena. "Elena. Can you tell your sister that I accept written apologies only? Delivered by hand?"

She smiled. "So, you finally got with the doppelganger sister. Nice choice. Are you two lovebirds fighting already?"

"Katherine. Wonderful. What do you want?"

"I'm just a girl looking for a partner in crime. Feel like hitting the road? Getting the hell out of dodge?"

"Impeccable timing. I was told I need to take a beat," Damon said.

Katherine was delighted. "Is that a yes? I'll drive."

"Why not?" Damon shrugged. "Walls are starting to close in on me around here. Where are we going?"

"Away from here. That's all I'm going to give you for right now. But believe me... It's good."

The doppelganger showed him Elena's necklace.

* * *

It was strange, despite all the sadness I was feeling, I felt... good. Powerful.

I pulled over the curtains. The full moon lit the sky. Maybe I was accidentally channeling power from the moon? But all of Bonnie's grimoires said that you had to purposely had to channel power from something... it couldn't just happen.

The room shook, as did the ground. I was beginning to panic. Ric and Elena rushed into the room. The lamp swung on the ceiling before falling to the floor with a crash.

"What are you doing?" Ric asked, worried. "Louise..."

"Nothing!" I insisted, trying to calm myself, but the room was still shaking violently. "Nothing! I'm doing nothing!"

My chest of drawers fell frontward onto the floor. _Thump_. I jumped with fright. _Deep breaths, Louise... deep breaths. _ Jeremy joined us in my room. "What going on?" He caught sight of the mess and his eyes widened. "Louise, what-"

"I'm not doing anything!" I bellowed.

Elena rushed over to me and wrapped me in her arms. "Calm down... calm down."

"I'm trying," I said, biting back tears. "I'm trying..."

The wind calmed down and Ric sighed in relief, but his relief soon turned to worry. "Something's going on here. Something we have to figure out."

* * *

_A/N: What should be the Louise/Damon ship name? Damise? Douise? Lamon? What about Klaus/Louise? Klouise? And what do you think of Damon/Louise?_

_Review, follow, fave! Stay tuned!_


	5. The Reckoning

_The Reckoning_

The classroom was dark. Caroline had turned the light off. Senior prank night and I don't think any of us were really thrilled about it, except for a certain blonde vampire. Someone walked into the room and set off all of the mouse traps.

Matt turned on the light and we all jumped up. "Oh! Oh, come on! Seriously? Do you know how long it took for us to set all this up?"

"Forgot about senior prank night, huh?" Tyler asked him.

"Clearly."

"You and me both, buddy." I sighed.

"How could you forget? Louise is a scatter brain, so I guess she's excused a little-" I shot her a mock glare and she stuck her tongue out at me. "-but you've been talking about this since freshman year. We all have."

"Yeah, Matt. If I'm doing this, you're doing this," Elena spoke up.

"I'm kind of surprised any of you are doing this," Matt responded.

"Caroline's making us," Bonnie told us.

"We're about to be seniors. These are the memories that will stay with us forever, and if we don't..."

"And if we don't create these memories now, then what's the point of it all?" Elena quoted our blonde best friend.

"Go ahead and make fun, I don't care."

"You're all lame. And I've got ten more classrooms to prank."

Tyler took his bag and left. I texted Damon for about the one hundredth time. He hadn't called me since yesterday and I was beginning to worry about him.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Bonnie said.

"To superglue Alaric's desk shut. I'm making memories."

She smiled at Caroline, who smiled back.

"I love you!" Caroline called after her.

* * *

"Are you hungry? Let's stop for a bite. A truck stop. Or a trucker," Katherine said to a moody Damon.

"Oh, stop being cute."

The Petrova doppelganger smirked. "It's not possible."

"We've been driving around aimlessly for hours. Where are we going?"

"Far enough away so that you can't go running back," Katherine said.

"Not to worry," Damon assured her. "Mystic Falls and I are on a bit of a break."

"You and Mystic Falls, or you and Louise?" she asked him.

"Let's just say Louise and I are having a bit of difference of opinion on how I should behave."

"Ooh. Let me guess... little Louise wants you to be the hero, and you don't like playing pretend," she said.

Damon shrugged. "Something like that."

"Her loss."

Katherine put her lips onto his. He kissed back, but then pushed her off of him like she was a wolf on top of him.

"What are you doing?" Katherine growled.

"I thought I'd give it a shot. Truth is, you just don't do it for me anymore."

* * *

**Mystic Falls**

Bonnie, Matt and I draped toilet paper around the pool and dumped it _in _the pool. "This is fun, right?"

"You sound like Caroline," Matt said to Bon-Bon.

"Come on, I am embracing her philosophy. You two should be more into this," Bonnie said to us.

I shrugged. "I know. Where's Jeremy tonight?" Matt asked.

"He's at home," I told him, turning to Bonnie. "I'm sorry, by the way. That I didn't tell you about him seeing Vicki and Anna."

Bonnie smiled. "It wasn't your secret to tell."

"Oh, good, you two know."

"Jeremy can't keep anything from me." I grinned.

"Is it weird talking about your sister like this?" Bonnie asked the quarterback.

"No, I... I just kind of want to see her myself, you know? I mean, I never got to say good-bye to her." Matt let out a long breath. "Do you realize that just last summer, the three of us were lifeguards at the pool? And the only two problems I had in my life were that Elena was breaking up with me and I sucked at CPR. Louise should have given me lessons. You were pretty awesome at it."

I smiled a cocky smile. "I'm simply amazing." My happy face fell as I remembered my old, normal life. Before my parents and Jenna died... No. Stop. _Stop _thinking about them. "Everything was so different then."

"Yeah. Now Elena's dating a vampire, you two are witches, my sister's a ghost, and... I'm... I'm just a guy who's wondering how life got so screwed up."

"It's crazy, Matt. I... I can't imagine what it must be like for you," Bonnie admitted.

"It just, uh, kind of explains why I'm not that into senior prank night. I'll go grab a couple more rolls. Then we'll hit the gym."

* * *

Bonnie and I stood up, marvelling our amazing pranking skill. I held my hand up and she gave me a high-five. I laughed, as did she.

Matt came out of the bathroom. He had put the used toilet rolls in the bin.

We walked away from the pool and into the Gym. When we walked in, it wasn't at all what I expected. "Bonnie, Louse, get out of here!" Elena yelled.

My eyes lingered over to the hybrid who killed Jenna. As much as I wanted to, I wasn't stupid enough to harm him, since he'd harm me worse. Thank God Jeremy hadn't come... But I could really use some Damon muscle.

"Ah, I was wondering when you'd show up. Now we can get started." He looked over at Dana, who was holding her foot up in the air like her life depended on it. "Ah, Dana, why don't you relax? You and Chad sit tight."

And by my guess it did.

"I assume you're the reason Elena's still walking around alive?" Klaus asked Bonnie.

"That's right. If you want to blame someone, blame me."

"Oh, there's no need for blame, love. Just your witchy interference seems to have caused some undesirable side effects. And since you caused the problem, I'm going to have you find the fix."

A blonde chick stormed into the Gym, Tyler in her clutches. "Get off me!" Tyler yelled.

"Hush now," Rebekah hissed.

"I'd like you all to meet my sister Rebekah. Word of warning... She can be quite mean," Klaus said with a smirk.

Great, another Original. This one rolled her eyes. "Don't be an ass."

She looked like a stereotypical blonde bitch you'd see in movies. She threw Tyler in Klaus' arms roughly, like he was a piece of meat.

"Leave him alone!" I said, forgetting he was a super-strong hybrid who could snap me like a twig.

"I'm going to make this very simple... Every time I attempt to turn a werewolf into a vampire hybrid, they die during the transition. It's quite horrible, actually," Klaus said. He forced his blood into Tyler's mouth. I knew what was coming next, and I really didn't like it. "I need you to find a way to save my hybrids, Bonnie. And for Tyler's sake... You better hurry."

He snapped Tyler's neck. I gaped at him, shocked. As were Elena, Matt and Bonnie.

Klaus just smiled.

Matt kneeled next to Tyler's body. "He killed him."

"He's not dead," Elena assured him. "Klaus's blood will turn him into a vampire."

"And if Bonnie's successful, he'll live through his transition. Go on, then. Go and fetch your grimoires. and enchantments and what not. I'll hold on to Elena... For safe-keeping. And the Gilbert witch. Think you can do it on your own?"

Bonnie glared at him. Klaus gripped Elena's arm roughly. My twin gestured for them to leave. And they did.

I sat down on the floor of the Gym, not knowing why he didn't let me go with Bonnie. Two witches were better than one, right?

"So this is the latest doppelgänger. The original one was much prettier," Rebekah taunted as she examined Elena.

My brows furrowed in confusion. "How is that even possible?" I muttered.

Rebekah, who had heard me, vamped out and approached me. "Enough, Rebekah. Take the wolf boy elsewhere, would you?" Klaus said, stopping her from turning me into lunch.

Rebekah reluctantly took Tyler and left with him. "Just ignore her. Petty little thing." He turned from Elena to me. This monster... the man who had taken my aunt away from me, he looked so _human_. Feral, perhaps, but I would have never thought he was capable of what he had done. "Try not to provoke my sister next time, love. I mightn't be there to save you."

I rolled my eyes and I pursed my lips.

Elena was comforting Dana. I was fighting my inner demons as everyone else fought the big demon - Klaus. I still hadn't dealt with my grief over Jenna's death, I wasn't even sure if I healed from my parent's death. I didn't exactly... _grieve _like most people. I ignored the pain and searched for distractions.

Death numbers were going up and up. First my parents, then Jenna and even John! Who was next? Elena? Jeremy? Alaric? One of my best friends? It seemed like every time I loved someone, they just died.

The doors busted open to reveal my best friend... who was a ripper now. I got onto my feet. "Stefan," Elena and I both said.

"Klaus," Stefan almost growled.

"Come to save the damsels, mate?"

I was _not _a damsel! That implied that I couldn't fight back. I was simply staying here... out of my own accord.

"I came to ask for your forgiveness. And pledge my loyalty," Stefan said.

Klaus scoffed. "Well, you broke that pledge once already."

"Elena and Louise mean nothing to me anymore. And whatever you ask of me... I will do."

"Fair enough. Let's drink on it. Kill them. What are you waiting for? Kill them."

I had known Dana and Chad my whole life. I was never close with them, but they were the kids in class I'd have a chat with every so often. I didn't want them to die.

"No! Stefan, don't. He's not going to hurt me. He already said..." Elena was interrupted when Klaus slapped her. She flew across the room and fell hard on the floor.

Stefan rushed over to Klaus, his fangs out. Could these people get any stupider? Klaus gripped his neck and held him at arm's length.

"She means nothing to you? Your lies just keep piling up."

"Let her go! I'll do whatever you want, you have my word!" Stefan insisted.

"Your word doesn't mean much. I lived by your word all summer, during which time I never had to resort to this..." He compelled him. "Stop fighting."

"Don't do this, don't do this," Stefan begged.

"I didn't want to. All I wanted was your allegiance. Now I'm going to have to take it."

"No, Klaus! Please!" I roared, my eyes glistened with worry. I guess it was my turn to do something stupid.

"Don't... don't..." Stefan pleaded.

Klaus ignored him. "You will do exactly as I say when I say it. You will not run, you will not hide, you will simply just obey."

"No!"

"No. Stefan!" Elena was almost crying.

"Now kill them." He grinned sadistically. "Ripper."

Stefan vamped out and killed Dana, draining her of every ounce of blood in her body. He moved onto Chad. It felt like I couldn't move. Fear and grief... that was all I felt.

"It's always nice to see a vampire in his true element. The species has become such a broody lot," Klaus said.

I shook my head. "This isn't him. I know him, he would never do this."

"I knew him too, love, back in the twenties," Klaus told us. "He was a true ripper."

"You did this to him," Elena said sadly.

"I invited him to the party, love. He's the one dancing on the table."

A very angry Rebekah stormed into the room and rushed towards Elena. "Where is it? Where is my necklace?" she shouted.

"What are you talking about?" Klaus asked her.

"She has my necklace. Look."

She handed him Caroline's phone. Whatever was on it, it made Klaus' face twist with slight hurt and lots of anger. He looked at Stefan. "Well, well. More lies."

"Where is it?" Rebekah pressed.

"I don't have it anymore."

"You're lying!" Rebekah roared. She bit Elena in the neck, but Klaus pulled her away from the doppelganger quickly.

"Knock it off!" Klaus bellowed.

"Make her tell me where it is, Nik! Make that one!" She pointed to me.

I glanced to Elena, who had her hand on her neck. Klaus sauntered over to me. "Where's the necklace, sweetheart? Be honest. We don't want Elena getting hurt, now do we?"

"She's not lying," I told him. "Katherine took it."

Klaus grinned ruefully at the mention of Katherine. "Katerina. Of course. Well, that's unfortunate. If we had the necklace it would make things a whole lot easier for your witch, but since we're doing this the hard way, let's put a clock on it, shall we?"

The buzzer sounded as the clock appeared on the score board. "Twenty minutes. If Bonnie hasn't found a solution by then, I want you to feed again. Only this time, I want you to feed on Elena. You know you want to."

"No, Klaus! Don't do this to him!" Elena said.

"No one leaves. If either of them try to run, fracture her spine."

The two of them left.

* * *

The three of us glanced to the clock every few seconds. I was sitting on the floor again, hugging my knees. Six minutes to go... "Caroline's dad! Stefan, he was able to resist compulsion. I don't know how, but he did it. Maybe it's possible," Elena said.

"Yeah, yeah. Maybe it's just mind control, right? Maybe it just takes some focus, a couple decades of training. No big deal," replied Stefan sarcastically.

"Stefan, you can control this. When that buzzer goes off, just... just drink from me."

"You don't get it. I can't stop, Elena! I'm a ripper! A ripper doesn't stop! I listen to the words that come out of your mouth, and all I hear is the sound of your heart pumping blood through your body. And when that clock ticks down... I'm going to have to feed on you. And you want to know what's worse? I'm not going to be able to stop."

"I don't believe that. You can fight it. You just have to want it bad enough," Elena said.

"Why, because I love you?"

"Yeah! That's right, Stefan. Because you love me. You'll fight because after everything that we've been through, you owe me that!"

"You know what, you're right. You're right. I owe you everything. Because through all of this, you are the one thing that has kept me from giving up; from turning it all off. But I can't help what I am, Elena. The more blood that I get, the more I want, and if I get so much as near yours... You are dead."

I stood up. "No. I'll stop you. I can knock you out."

Stefan shook his head. "Gloria gave Klaus a herb. It stops a witch's magic from working on a vampire."

"Who's Gloria?" Elena asked.

"A witch in Chicago." He shook his head again. "That's not the point. The point is that Louise can't do anything to stop me from killing you. I'm going to kill you Elena."

* * *

There was only a few seconds on the buzzer. "Elena, you're going to have to run."

"But Klaus said that if I run-"

"I know what he said, but if you stay, it won't matter. Elena, please, please, please. Elena, there's no other way," Stefan begged her.

"There is another way, Stefan. It's for you to fight."

The buzzer went. Elena was done for.

No. I couldn't let another one of my family members die. "Stefan... I love you. Fight, Stefan. Don't give up."

"I can't hold it."

He vamped out and speeded over to Elena, who screamed in fright. Stefan held onto the wall, desperately trying to kill the girl he loved.

"Elena, Louise, run! Go!"

She ran out of the Gym and I followed her, sprinting as fast as my legs could carry me. Elena opened a door, revealing Klaus. "We've got to stop meeting like this."

Klaus dragged Elena and I into the cafeteria. Stefan was there and he had a stake in his abdomen. "Now this is fascinating. I've never seen this before. The only thing stronger than your craving for blood is your love for this one girl. Why don't you turn it off?"

"No!"

"Come on. Your humanity is killing you. All the guilt must be exhausting. Turn it off."

"No!"

I hadn't seen no humanity Stefan before, and the prospect scared the living daylights out of me.

"Stefan..." Elena begged.

"You're strong," Klaus noted, pulling the stake out of Stefan. "But you're not that strong. Turn. It. Off."

"No!"

He pushed Klaus, causing the hybrid to press him against the wall. "Turn it off!" he compelled him.

"Stefan!" I yelled. "Fight him!"

The remainder of the light in his green eyes disappeared. His face displayed no emotion... there was nothing. It was like a part inside of him had died.

"What did you do?" Elena asked Klaus.

"I fixed him. But I think a test is in order, don't you?"

Klaus went behind Elena and looked to Stefan. "Ripper... Perhaps you'd like a drink.. From the doppelgänger's neck?"

Veins protruded from beneath Stefan's eyes as he plunged his teeth into her neck.

I ran towards them, but Klaus held me back by the arms. "Now, now, love. Do you really want to get involved in a lover's quarrel?"

* * *

Turns out, Elena's blood was the solution to the hybrid fiasco. Damon had rescued her - _again _- from being harmed. Now, she was Klaus' human blood bag.

I wasn't sure if he deserved it, but I needed to speak to Damon. He was a little insecure when it came to Stefan and being the bad brother. I made him feel like crap. I didn't like doing that to anyone... especially him.

I heard the front door open and shut. I stood up, hoping it was Damon, but also hoping it wasn't.

He flinched back a bit when he saw it was me. "Hey," I said.

Damon, as expected, turned to alcohol. "Have you come to give me a lecture on how I shouldn't have ran off with Katherine?"

"I know you don't like being compared to Stefan, Damon, but I wasn't doing that." I stepped closer to him. "I know you're a vampire, and I know you kill. That's who you are. But I want to draw the line when it comes down to my family and friends and their families."

"You're not going to try to change me?" Damon asked, not looking away from him.

I kept my gaze. "No."

He cupped my face in his hands and kissed me passionately. I wrapped my arms around his neck.

Pulling away from him, I pushed him on the arm chair. I knew he was letting me, but it didn't make me feel any less aroused. I got on top of him on his lap and captured his lips with mine. I pulled his top over his hand and took off mine quickly.

It was one hell of a night.

* * *

_A/N: Review, follow, fave! I'd love to hear some of your suggestions._


	6. Smells Like Teen Spirit

_Smells Like Teen Spirit_

I was woke up the morning after by my phone ringing. _Elena is calling_. I groaned and got out of bed, wrapping a white sheet around me. I was careful not to wake Damon and took the call outside of his room.

"Hey, what's up?"

_"Where are you?" _I tried to think of a lie, anything, but nothing came to mind. I heard her sigh heavily. _"You're with Damon, aren't you?" _I still didn't reply. _"Did you sleep with him again?"_

"Yes," I admitted. I was tired of lying to her. Not to mention it was six in the morning. "Why are you calling this early?"

_"I was going to ask you if you wanted to train with me."_

"Train?"

_"I'm sick of being defenseless around vampires. It'd be fun. And it might distract you from-"_

"From Damon," I finished, scoffing.

_"I don't know what he's doing to you, but I know the real you would never fall for him."_

"He never did anything to me. I care about him, maybe you should respect that."

I hung up on her and went back into Damon's room. He had gotten out of the bed and stood in front of me, in all his naked glory.

I didn't flinch, or move. It was nothing I hadn't seen before. "I'm impressed. I thought you would have at least told me to get some pants on."

I shrugged as I gathered up my clothes. "Nothing I haven't seen before." I pecked him on the lips. "I have to go."

He dramatically pouted. "But we were having such fun." He pulled the sheets off me slowly, giving me time to slap his hand away. He leaned into my ear and whispered huskily. "We can do it again and again."

My knees weakened. _Senior year, senior year. Shower, get dressed, don't give in_.

I pulled away from him and smiled. "Can't do. First day of senior year. If I'm late a certain blonde vampire will murder me."

"Ah, Caroline. I'm sure she can wait..." He wiggled his eyebrows flirtatiously.

I rolled my eyes and smiled. "She's very impatient."

He kissed me and ran his hands down my back. I bit down on his lip when his hand grabbed my butt. "Alright, I'm staying," I moaned.

* * *

Elena, Bonnie and Caroline were standing outside of the school. I approached them, smiling. Elena narrowed her eyes at me slightly, but covered it with a smile. Bonnie had a large smile plastered on her face while Caroline didn't even attempt to hide her disgust.

"Hey, guys," I greeted awkwardly.

Caroline had no time for chit-chat, apparently. "_Seriously_?" she exclaimed. "You slept with Damon, _again_?"

Bonnie looked around us. "Caroline..."

"No, Bonnie. Damon is a bad person. He kills without remorse and you're happily jumping his bones?"

"It's my life, Caroline, not yours."

"You're my best friend, I love you, but you're making a _huge _mistake. Any guy here would be happy to have you, but yet you screw _him_? I mean... he's almost as bad as Klaus!"

I flinched away from her. "Wow, Caroline. Comparing him to Klaus... low blow."

She looked sorry she said that. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. Look, I just don't think Damon is a good choice. He's not very considerate of other people."

"He's considerate of me," I told her.

"When has he done anything for you?"

"I'm the one who asked him to help Elena. I knew Klaus would easily put me down as soon as I stepped on hospital grounds, but Damon knew exactly how to push his buttons. He's not that bad, Care. Just please, give him a chance."

Caroline huffed. "Never gonna happen."

* * *

My phone rang and I answered it, leaning against my locker. "Damon, hey."

_"So... You might not want to come here for a while. We have a new housemate. Barbie Klaus."_

"Rebekah? She's living with you? Why?"

_"She's stranded. Apparently Klaus left her in the dust after I name-dropped Mikael."_

"What about Stefan? What is he up to?"

_"Oh, you know. Draining young girls dry and leaving them all over the house."_

"So, he's full blown ripper then."

_"Uh-huh."_

"And unfortunately we don't have Lexi to pull him back because you... uh... staked her."

_"What happened to you accepting who I am?"_

"I am, I am. It's just... Lexi had a gift for this sort of thing. How are we suppose to get the old Stefan back?"

_"We wait. But we will, eventually."_

I noticed Caroline pin a flyer to the notice board. It was about the bonfire tonight. "Hey, I got to go. But I'll talk to you later."

_"Right."_

"Oh! And don't tell Elena about this whole Stefan fiasco."

_"I won't."_

"Good. Thank you."

He hung up. I approached Caroline. "The bonfire. I completely forgot."

"I suppose it'd be hard to remember these things when you're too busy screwing Damon." She burst past me, bumping my shoulder on her way.

I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. A few seconds later, I saw Caroline and Elena drag a blood-stained Tyler into the toilets to clean him up.

* * *

I sat down in my seat between Caroline and Bonnie. The blonde was still ignoring me, which was so frustrating I couldn't put it into words. If she was my friend, she'd accept that I was with Damon. I couldn't let myself feel guilty.

I turned to Bonnie. 'She'll come around,' she mouthed, gesturing to Caroline. I nodded to her gratefully and smiled, which she returned.

"Welcome back, seniors," Ric started. "Let's turn our brains back on, starting with this country's original founders... the Native Americans."

Rebekah came into the classroom. "What about the Vikings?"

She sat down on a seat in the front. "There's no evidence that Viking explorers actually settled in the United States. Who are you?"

"My name's Rebekah, I'm new. And history's my favorite subject."

Then I realised. In this one class, there was an Original, a hybrid, two witches, two vampires, a ripper and a doppelganger. Shit just got serious.

* * *

After classes, I went for swimming practice. The pool had been cleared up quickly from the disaster that was Prank Night, so was the Gym. I slid my goggles over my eyes and jumped into the pool.

I started doing laps of the pool, venting all of my frustration into my swim. After ten laps, I rested at the side of the pool, holding myself up by my arms.

"Figured I'd find you here." I looked up to see my former best friend. "I may have flipped the switch, but I still remember the basic things about my best fwiend."

"Go away," I snarled through gritted teeth. "I don't want you near me."

I was defenseless... weak. If he still had that herb in his system, then there was nothing I could do.

He put his hand on my head and pressed some weight on it. I sunk into the water and struggled to get back up. I didn't lose my grip on the side of the pool.

"You're drowning her!"

I never thought Mr. Timmons would be my saviour, but he was. Stefan smiled innocently at him as he let me get up. I coughed the water back up. The poor coach, I feared for his life. Stefan compelled him. "You'll forget what you saw. This lovely lady was doing laps. That's all."

He shot me a smirk before walking away without a glance back.

"That was odd," Mr. Timmons commented.

I sighed and slid back down my goggles. "You have no idea."

* * *

School was over and I went to the town gym to lift some weights. I struggled to lift it up, but I was stubborn and a Gilbert, which meant I didn't give up easily.

Alaric got me in on Elena's training schedule. Unfortunately, I had to get up at six in the morning, but we all had to make sacrifices from time to time. My sleep was one of them apparently.

"What? Are you going to bench press a vampire?"

"Stefan almost drowned me, Damon." His face fell. "I was at swimming practice and he tried to drown me. He's a completely different person." Damon pressed down on the weight. "Uh! What are you doing?"

"Helping you out."

"Damon," I growled.

"Come on, Buffy," he encourage.

I pushed up with all my strength, finally being able to lift it higher, but then he put more of his weight on it. "Stop it!"

He let go and I lifted up the weight. I sat down on a couch nearby. "You called. I'm here. What's your plan, oh warrior princess?"

"We need to lock Stefan up, at least until this Mikael guy comes, kills Klaus, and the compulsion breaks."

"Compulsion or not, Stefan's high on human blood. A lot of it."

"Lexi's helped him before. So have you, remember?"

"This is different. It's not a stint in rehab, Louise. His humanity's gone. Light's out. No one's home."

"Stefan's going to get worse. Whenever I look at him, I see the ghost of his old self. He's in there, Damon, we need to get him out. Please. Do it for me."

I stood up. Damon took my hand on placed it on his chest. "What are you doing?"

"Feel that? It's a sternum. Solid plate of bones." He wrapped me in his arms and put his fingers on my back. "Right here, just below the rib-cage, next to the spine, that's your way to a vampire's heart." He pulled away from me. "I'll do whatever it is you need me to do, Louise. No one going to hurt you. Especially not my brother."

* * *

"I'll lure Stefan away from the bonfire. Then when he's distracted..." Elena started.

"I'll shoot him," Ric finished.

"Can't the witches do something?" Damon asked, turning to me.

I shook my head. "Stefan has some herb in his system that prevents my magic from working on him."

Damon nodded. "Right. Blondie? Louise? You know what to do?"

"Yes. We'll make sure that the old Forbes jail cell is prepped and ready."

Caroline wasn't too happy with spending the day with me.

"We're forgetting a key player here. Rebekah? Wherever Stefan goes, the blond ponytail tends to follow," Damon told them.

"Which is why it's your job to keep her away," I said to Damon.

"How? She's an original. Last time I checked, we're out of daggers," Damon quipped.

"Use that charm of yours," Elena suggested and I nodded in agreement.

Alaric snorted. "Might have better luck finding the dagger."

"Are you ever not going to be mad at me for a day?"

"Doubtful."

Tyler joined the meeting. "Sorry I'm late. What's going on?"

"We need you to raid your mom's vervain supply. Enough to keep Stefan down for a while," Elena told him.

"You can't do that to Stefan."

"Why not?" Caroline pressed.

"Trust me, Tyler, it's in his best interest," Elena spoke up.

"Yeah... it's not in Klaus'."

"But Klaus is the bad guy, Tyler. You know, why are you acting like some freaky, hybrid, slave minion?" Caroline questioned angrily.

"Uh oh," Damon said.

My head snapped over to him. "What?"

"Klaus made me who I am, Caroline. I owe him everything," Tyler said.

"Oh... boy," the raven-haired vampire continued.

Caroline snapped at him. "Ok, can we cool it on the commentary, please."

"Damon, what's going on?" I asked him.

He took out a vervain dart as Tyler edged for the door. I'm just going to go."

Damon vamped over to him and plunged the dart into his neck. Tyler fell to the floor, unconscious.

"What are you doing?" Caroline shrieked.

"He's been sired."

Alaric was as confused as I was. "What?"

"Sired. He feels loyal to Klaus because Klaus's blood created him."

"How loyal?" I asked.

"He'll seek acceptance from his master, no matter the cost. It's really rare. But maybe not so much in hybrids," Damon explained.

"So how do I fix him?"

"Get a new boyfriend."

* * *

"All ready for ripper Stefan to be tortured," Caroline called as she walked up the stairs from the cell. "At least we'll get him back soon."

I tossed her a blood bag. "A well earned blood bag."

"Thank you." She took the blood bag from me. Nobody spoke for a while, until Caroline broke the silence. "Look, Louise, about Damon... he was just such a jerk to me and it's difficult seeing him happy, with _you _of all people."

"Caroline, he's changed," I insisted.

She shook her head. "No. He hasn't. Maybe he's gotten a little better, but he's still Damon. He still kills without remorse and by staying with him, you're condemning yourself."

I forced a strained laugh. "_Condemning _myself?"

Caroline didn't look amused. "He's going to rub off on you and you're gonna become as bad as him. I know you've always liked the bad guys, but seriously, Louise? Damon is a murderer, an abuser, a... a monster."

I pursed my lips together in a tight line and narrowed my blue eyes at her. "We're all monsters, Caroline," I said slowly. "We've all killed, which makes us monsters."

"No one has killed as much as Damon," Caroline said. "He's killed hundreds, maybe even thousands for nothing!"

I grabbed my bag. "I can't believe you. Why can't you accept that for once I'm happy? Am I the only one here that doesn't get to be happy?"

"No, but with Damon-"

"Damon _makes _me happy!" I exclaimed, hanging my bag over my shoulder. "He makes me feel alive, which is more than I've felt in the past couple of months... even since my parents died."

Caroline let out a loud and exaggerated sigh. "Fine. Date him, screw him, whatever. Just don't expect me to be okay with it."

I scoffed and stormed out of her house. My phone rang, it was Elena. _"Hey, uh, the plan didn't go as planned."_

I sighed, fighting the urge to bite her head off. "What happened?"

* * *

"Vicki Donovan came back to life?" I asked as I applied the cream to Elena's cut.

She nodded. "And she tried to kill me."

I rose an eyebrow and dabbed a cloth to Elena's wound. "It's impossible. She can't have come back to life."

"Matt helped her," Elena said. "But he's sent her back now."

"Oh no."

"What?"

"My guess is there'll be pretty big consequences." She shot me a questioningly look. "There are two planes, our world and the afterlife, called the Other Side. When someone comes back to life, there's an imbalance."

Panic was etched on Elena's face. "What do you think will happen?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, but I think we're gonna find out."


	7. Ghost World

_Ghost World_

Caroline, Bonnie and I were hanging lanterns from a tree for the Night of Illumination. "So when you did the spell to send Vicki away, did that get rid of Anna, too?" Caroline asked.

"I wish. All I did was block the magic that was helping Vicki get a physical foothold here. Jeremy's still got a direct line to the other side, and as long as he wants to see Anna and she wants to see him, she's still here," Bonnie explained.

"Okay, you don't think I can actually resist commenting on that."

"There. You commented," Bonnie snapped.

"Bonnie..."

"What do you want me to say, Caroline? I went against the balance of nature when I brought Jeremy back to life, and now I'm paying the consequences."

"Well, I want you to say you're not ok with it," Caroline said.

"I'm a thousand times not ok with it. I just don't know what to do about it."

I looked at her sympathetically. "I'm sorry about Jeremy, Bonnie."

She shrugged. "Nothing I can do."

Damon stopped by where we hanging the lanterns. "Greetings, blondie, witchy." He winked at me and I rolled my eyes, but smiled. "Beautiful." Caroline scoffed. "I think you got your voodoo wires all crossed when you got rid of Vicki Donovan."

"What do you mean?" Bonnie asked. "Why?"

"Because I'm pretty sure I just got spit-roasted by Mason Lockwood's ghost," Damon told us.

"What?" I said.

"And why would you think that?" Caroline inquired.

"Maybe because he chained me to a chair and shoved a hot poker in my chest. Let's just say I'm having déjà vu."

Caroline gave me another one of her 'what the hell are you doing with him' looks and turned to Bonnie. "I thought you said that ghosts couldn't physically interact with people."

Bonnie shook her head. "They can't."

"Yeah, well, I don't have time for a vengeful Lockwood. When I kill someone, they're supposed to stay dead. Whatever you screwed up, fix it." I shot him a dirty look. "Please," he added to Bonnie.

He drove away. "You're dating _that_?" I narrowed my eyes at Caroline, who held her hands up in defense. "Just sayin'."

* * *

"I haven't seen Vicki, I swear. I sent her back like you told me to," Matt told us.

"Are you sure?" Bonnie asked. "Because she has just as much reason to haunt Damon as Mason Lockwood does."

"She's gone, Bonnie. If she was here, I'd know it."

"Why do you think it's Vicki and not Mason?" the blonde vampire questioned the witch.

"Because if any ghost other than Vicki Donovan has a physical foothold on our side, then that means Damon's right and something has gone really, really wrong."

"I knew there was going to be consequences," I said. "Someone can't come back from _there _without screwing something up."

Matt backed away from us. "I've had enough of this ghost stuff to last forever. So you guys can leave me out of this one."

We watched him walk away. "I feel so sad for him. It took a lot for him to send his sister away," Caroline said.

"Yeah."

"So much strength for a man."

"I've got a ghost problem to deal with, Caroline. Save the Jeremy lecture for later."

She grabbed her bag and everything fell out of it. She reached to pick up her grimoire, but a wind blew and opened it on a page. "Bonnie, did your grimoire just..." I trailed off.

"I think so."

She picked up the grimoire and read the page. I read it over her shoulder. _To reveal veiled matter_.

"Okay, please tell me that's a recipe for witch cookies," Caroline begged.

"It's a manifestation spell. It's used to reveal veiled matter," Bonnie told her.

"What's veiled matter?"

"Ghosts," I answered.

* * *

"It says that we need two witches," Bonnie told me as we entered the abandoned witch houses. "Even then, the spell might be too much."

I nodded. "I think we can handle it."

We entered the basement. "So this is where you brought Jeremy back to life?"

"Yeah. Sorry, I know it's creepy, but we needed a private place around here to do the spell," Bonnie told her.

"Hm..." Caroline looked around warily. "There's no chance it's haunted by the hundred dead witches who were horrifically burned to death in this very spot, is there?"

"They're not here anymore. And they made it clear they were never coming back."

"Right. A pinkie swear?"

* * *

Caroline lit the candle around us as Bonnie and I clasped each hands, muttering the spell. "Ready? Do you need me to do..." She saw that we were doing the spell and stopped. "Right. Okay."

Wind blew all around the room. I was a little scared and tightened my grip on Bonnie hand. The Bennett witch was the main witch in this spell, I was only assisting her with what little powers I had.

"Louise... Bonnie... I don't like this. Bonnie..." She gasped suddenly. "Oh, my God. Is that your...?"

We stopped the spell and I looked over to Bonnie's other side. Sheila Bennett, my old mentor.

"Grams," Bonnie breathed. She smiled at her Grams through tears. "I can't believe you're here!"

"Now stop your crying, we don't have time for tears." Sheila smiled at her. She looked over at me. "Louise Gilbert, my student. I've been watching over you. You've grown, child." I smiled at her. "Nice to see you again, Caroline."

"Hi, Miss Sheila."

Mrs. Bennett turned to Bonnie. "A fine mess you've made, honey. The witches told you there'd be consequences to bringing Jeremy back and you did it anyway."

"I didn't have a choice. I love him and I... I couldn't just let him go."

"I understand. But you cracked open the door to the other side. There's an old witch over here. She took advantage of it. She took advantage of you, honey. When you did that spell to send Vicki Donovan away, she wedged the door wide open. Giving a free pass to anybody with unfinished business."

"How do you know this?"

"Witches talk," Sheila said. "Even on the other side. Who do you think makes all the rules?"

"What does the witch want?"

"That's original vampire business, not yours. I don't want you getting in the middle of that. I'm here because you upset the balance of nature. And it's your duty to set it right. You need to close that door, and Louise is gonna help you."

* * *

_"How do we do that?"_

"The witch can draw power from this side because of her talisman."

_"Talisman... My necklace?"_

"It's her power source. I know you're not gonna like this, but Bonnie needs to destroy it."

_"I just walked in on our brother kissing the reason I'm completely okay with that."_

Caroline, who was listening with her vamp-hearing, gasped. Bonnie shot us a questioning look. I shook my head. "I'm gonna text Damon to see where the necklace is. Then we can deal with _him_."

_"I'll call you right back."_

* * *

"It's not in the soap bowl!" I groaned in frustration. "He said it was in the soap bowl."

_"Hey, this is Damon. Sorry I missed your call... or not if I was avoiding you. Leave a message after the beep. Make it funny."_

I hung up before I could hear the beeping noise. "Not answering?" Caroline asked me.

I shook my head. "No."

"I'll call Elena." Caroline took out her phone and dialled Elena's number.

"So the necklace isn't where Damon said it would be and now we can't reach Damon... What?!But you said you were in full support of getting rid of them... Okay, let's just find it first and then we'll choose between boyfriend ghost dramas... Vamp-hearing, remember? Louise didn't have to tell me."

Caroline put her phone into her pocket. Bonnie looked at the two of us. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Um...Lexi's back, so Elena wants us to hold off on destroying the necklace," Caroline explained.

"You said boyfriend dramas. Plural. What is it, Caroline?" Caroline pursed her lips tightly, so Bonnie turned to me. "Louise?"

I shot her a sympathetic look. "Uh... Elena caught Jeremy kissing Anna."

Bonnie's face fell. She looked as if she had been punched in the gut. "What?"

"I'm so sorry," I said sadly, my voice was shaking.

"He kissed her?" Bonnie whimpered.

I nodded slowly. "He's an idiot, Bon. But we're gonna find that necklace and send her back to where she came from from. Okay?"

We searched the house from top to bottom. I looked in Damon's most secret hiding places, even his wine cellar.

"Ugh! I give up. It's not anywhere in this room," Caroline exclaimed.

Bonnie's phone rang. A picture of Jeremy popped up. The witch shot me a pleading look and I took the phone from her.

"What do you want, Jeremy?" I growled.

_"Louise? Did you find that necklace?"_ Jeremy asked, he sounded shocked that I was being so cold with him. What did he expect?

"Not yet. What's going on?"

_"Ghosts of the tomb vampires killed Tobias Fell. You might want to find that necklace before they start going alphabetically through the founding families."_

"Well, it's not where it's supposed to be. Unless someone took it," I said.

Of course, Anna did. That was what first came to mind. _"Who?"_ my brother asked.

"Black hair, five hundred years old, you're stupid enough to kiss her when you have a great girlfriend... ring any bells?"

There was a pause before he responded. _"She said she didn't take it."_

"Oh, of course you believe her."

_"You know what, yeah. Yeah, I do believe her."_

"Jeremy, I love you to pieces, but you're acting like an absolute idiot. So wake up and see the light, baby bro. Before you lose everything."

* * *

Bonnie was driving us back to the witch house. Jeremy just told me that Anna did have the necklace, but because she wanted to find her Mom. I suppose I could forgive her... I would do anything I could to find my mom.

I had hoped to see Jenna. She was a vampire before she died, but maybe she wasn't there. Maybe she was spared the torture of having to watch over your loved ones but never touch them or speak to them.

"Jeremy's got the necklace. He's going to meet us at the witch house," I told Bonnie.

"Okay. What's going on up there?"

Carol Lockwood's car was up against a tree. The mayor was unconscious. "It's Mrs. Lockwood's car." The tomb vampires approached the car. "Bonnie? I'm going to get out of the car," Caroline continued.

"What?" Bonnie exclaimed.

"And you two are gonna drive the hell away from here."

"No, Care," I said, shaking my head. "We're not leaving you."

"Bonnie's got her ghost boyfriend drama. Elena has hers. You two have to send the freaky ghosts away and right now the mother of mine is about to be ghost bait. So go and send them all back to the other side, okay?"

Caroline got out of the car. Bonnie drove away from the sight and brought us to the witch house.

* * *

I got some more candles from a room upstairs, thinking of everyone I wanted to see today. Jenna... I was disappointed I didn't see her.

But when I turned around, there was. Her strawberry blonde hair was still the same, her smile was just as bright and her eyes were just as kind. "Louise," she said.

I smiled, tears pooling up in my eyes as I pounced on her, hugging my beloved aunt. "I've missed you so much," I whimpered. "I can't... I can't even describe it. God!"

She pulled away from the hug, smiling at me. "I'm proud of you, you know that? You and Jeremy and Elena... you're all so strong."

"I've made so many mistakes," I said, wiping my eyes. "We should have told you sooner."

She shook her head. "I realise now that you were only protecting me. Tell Alaric, Jeremy and Elena that I love them. And I love you."

I choked on tears. "I don't want you to go. I don't want to fix this. I want you to stay with us."

"You have to," Jenna said. "I'm okay. I'm with you always." She grinned. "And you and Damon..."

I laughed a little. "You gonna give out to me?"

Jenna shook her head. "He makes you happy. That's all that I want. That's what you deserve. Even though I would have chose someone more... non-Damony..." I laughed through tears. "I'm still happy for you." She smiled sadly at me. "I have to go now."

"Don't go," I whimpered.

"I have to, Louise. This will make it easier for you."

And with that, my aunt blinked away.

* * *

The fireplace lit with fire thanks to my powers as Bonnie lit the candles with hers.

"Bonnie!" Jeremy's voice echoed through the room.

I turned around. Jeremy showed us the necklace. Bonnie snatched it and tossed it into the flames. She clasped my hand in hers as we muttered the spell. I felt her grams' presence, helping us cast the spell.

The necklace burned.

"You are stronger than all of this. I'm so proud of you," Sheila said to her granddaughter before disappearing.

Bonnie fell to the ground, tears streaming down her cheeks. I wrapped an arm around her held as she cried.

"Bonnie..."

The sound of my brother's - the boy who cheated on her with a ghost - made her cry more. "Just go away, Jeremy," she snapped.

"I owe you an explanation."

Bonnie unwrapped herself from me and stood up angrily. "Matt let go of his sister before you let go of Anna. His sister, Jeremy. You know what you owe me? The respect of not making me listen to you explain yourself."

"I am sorry, Bonnie."

"You need to go."

"But-"

"Jeremy, _go_. Leave her alone," I snapped at him.

He left. Bonnie's eyes went to the fireplace. They widened, apparently shocked at something. I followed her gaze. The necklace... it was fine. Perfectly intact.

* * *

_A/N: I know Jenna never went to the Other Side, but I couldn't resist writing this. I was so upset when they didn't bring her back. One episode! One freakin' episode! How hard could it be? And then they bring her back for like five seconds in 500 Hundred Years of Solitude? Where's the logic here?_

_Alright, Jenna rant over. Please review and tell me what you think!_

_Love you guys like chocolate!_


	8. Ordinary People

_Ordinary People_

"So, the Lockwoods really have no idea that these tunnels are underneath their property?" Elena asked as Ric led us down the tunnels.

"Careful where you shine that thing." Ric gestured to the torch in my a hand. "Bats hate the light."

I hated bats. "Wait, what?"

"Louise..." a creepy voice whispered.

I gasped and whipped around. It was a certain raven-haired vampire. "Ah! Damon!"

He grinned. "Scaredy-cat."

"Just ignore him. That's what I do," Ric suggested.

"So... you really can't get in?" I asked Damon with a smirk.

"No. Seems even the ancient Lockwood's were anti-vampire."

"What do you mean, ancient?" Elena questioned.

Damon gestured forward. "See for yourself."

We walked further into the tunnels. There was a cave with drawings on the walls. It looked like they told a story.

"Well, this is as far as I get to go," Damon said.

I took a deep breath, staring around. "What is this?"

"Well, as far as I can tell, it's a story. In simple, archaeological terms, it's a really, really old story." He pointed to the wall. "That right there, is the moon cycle." He pointed to another symbol. "A man, a wolf."

"A werewolf," Elena and I said in unison.

"Yeah, it's the 'Lockwood Diaries: Pictionary-Style,'" Damon boomed.

"But the Lockwood's came to Mystic Falls with the Original Founders in 1860s," I said, my face twisted in confusion as I looked around the cave.

"I don't know. Maybe the Lockwoods did, but according to this wall, these werewolves have been here a lot longer than that."

"How long?" Elena asked.

"_Long_. It gets better. Show them, Ric," Damon said.

"Names. They're not native. They're written in Runic, a Viking script."

"Vikings?" Elena inquired.

"This name here, I translated it and it reads Niklaus."

"Klaus," I realised.

"And Elijah...and Rebekah," Ric further explained.

"The Original family," I added, slightly in awe. "So these are all the members?"

"Carved into a cave that's been here since way before the founding of Mystic Falls. Or even the entire New World, for that matter," Ric said.

I shook my head. "Klaus is playing us. This has to be one of his fakes."

Damon seemed to agree with me. "That's what I said."

"That could be true, except the last name up here made us think otherwise." He looked at the name.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Mikael."

"Mikael... Mikael, as in, the vampire hunter who knows how to kill Klaus?" Elena said in complete disbelief.

Ric was taking photos of the symbols and drawings. "Yep. I now like to call him, 'Papa Original,'" Damon said.

* * *

Elena and Ric were looked at the photos as Damon helped me train in Ric's apartment. "These images tell a story... to learn the story, you have to decipher these images."

I tried to get the stake in Damon's gut, but he took it from me. "Sloppy!" he taunted.

I smiled. "Hey, I'm new at this."

We engaged in some 'hand-to-hand' combat, which I kind of sucked at. "'Ghost of Christmas Past' - Mason Lockwood set up the cave and lead us to a weapon that can kill Klaus."

"Yeah, but doesn't Mikael have a weapon?" Elena asked, her arms crossed.

"Yes. Which probably means the wall will lead us to Mikael, who we have already found... and lost." He overpowered me, his arm binding my neck. "Bang! You're dead!" He went to nibble on my neck.

I grinned and pushed him away. "These images at the very least might tell us what that weapon is," Ric said.

I walked over to the table. "Then all we have to do is find out what they mean," I said.

"Fine! Fine! If I am being irritatingly optimistic like three of you...how do you suppose we do that?"

"Well, if the story is about the Original Family living here, then we go straight to the source."

* * *

Rebekah was at cheerleading practice with the squad. She was impressive. A thousand years of training and vampire agility, how could she not be? Even the football team was impressed.

She straightened up as I walked up to her. "You! Goody."

"I was hoping we could talk," I said.

"About what? Stefan? You want me step aside so your doppelganger bitch of a sister can have him?" She smiled sarcastically. "Don't worry, I'm off him until he starts treating me better. In fact, she should probably take a page out of my book, if I'm being honest."

"Actually, I'd rather talk about this." I held up a photo of Rebekah's name in runic. "Maybe I'm nosy, but I'd like to know why you and your invincible siblings have been running from him."

Her eyes widened in fear as she gulped. "I should get back to the girls. Homecoming's right around the corner." She turned to leave.

"Maybe we'll ask Papa Original when we wake him," I said, quoting Damon.

Rebekah stopped in her tracks and whipped around. Her face was full of fear. If this Mikael guy was capable of making an almost invincible vampire quake with fear, then he must have been something. "Mikael?" I nodded. "You're bluffing. You don't know where he is. No one does."

"Oh? Who's the big bad desiccating vampire in the cemetery in Charlotte?" I asked her.

"If you wake Mikael, we are all doomed!" Rebekah exclaimed.

"Give me a reason why we shouldn't wake him," I pressed.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Why don't you want me to wake him?" I repeated.

Rebekah took a deep breath. How could someone be so afraid of their own father? Even though Mikael was probably gonna save us all, I couldn't help but hate him. My guess was that he wasn't the nicest to his family.

"I need to get back to the girls." She went back to the squad.

* * *

I walked up the stairs to Alaric's flat. I told Elena and Ric I'd meet them there to look at the symbols.

"Rebekah was terrified, Damon. She'll tell me because she has to. I'll just have to engage in a little 'mean girl' power struggle first."

_"Well, make sure she doesn't power struggle you into a wheelchair."_

"I can do this. My best friend's freedom is on the line. I'll do anything. How's ripper Stefan?"

_"Mmm...pasty and pouty."_

"Maybe he'll feel a little self-pity soon. Call me later." I hung up and entered the flat.

Ric was looking at the photos. "So, you think you can get the info out of her?"

I nodded. "She'll come around."

My phone beeped. "You're sure about that? I mean a thousand year old vampire, I'm sure, has learned the art of patience."

I looked at the text. _Come over for a chat. Rebekah._

"Different rules apply here, Ric. She's a thousand year old vampire, who's a dedicated cheerleader and fits the mean girl stereo type. I dealt with Caroline a year ago, I can deal with her, no problem." I showed him the text. "Easy as pie."

* * *

I sat down on the couch in the living room. "Hey! What's up?" Rebekah boomed cheerfully, champagne glasses in her hands.

I frowned. "You said we'd talk."

Rebekah rolled her eyes. "All right girls, have at it!"

Six girls in different coloured dresses walked into the room. "Okay, now twirl please."

"You compelled them to be your personal runway girls?" I asked.

Rebekah shrugged. "I need a Homecoming dress. So, what do you think? Pick one."

"I'm not here to help you shop. I'm here to talk about Mikael," I insisted.

The blonde Original speeded to one of the girls and gripped her neck. Black veins protruded underneath her eyes as fangs ripped through her gums.

"I said, 'pick one', Louise," she demanded.

"The red one, I guess," I said quickly. "Let her go."

She let the girl go. "There. It wasn't so hard, was it?" She turned to the girls. "Go away. Remember nothing." The mindless girls left and Rebekah turned to me. "You do not threaten me. You'll learn what I allow you to learn. Is that clear?"

I nodded weakly. Rebekah went up to Damon's room and I followed her.

"How fun is this?" Rebekah started opening and closing drawers.

"We shouldn't be here," I said.

"'Course we should! Come on, like you've never wanted to snoop." She held up Damon's boxers. "Boxer briefs. A lot has changed since the twenties." She put them back in the drawer. "So, how was he? His prowess in bed is legendary. Is he romantic?"

"I really don't want to talk about my sex-life," I told her through gritted teeth.

She grinned. "Of course. Perhaps I ought to find out myself?"

A low growl came out of my mouth without my permission. "Are you gonna grill me for information about Damon's sex skills?"

"Ah... you really are no fun. What do you want to know?"

"Well, Elena told me that your father was landowner in Europe. How'd your family come here?"

Rebekah was still looking through Damon's stuff. "My parents had just started a family, when a plague struck their homeland. They lost a child to it. They wanted to escape and protect their future family from the same fate."

"But this part of the world hadn't been discovered yet."

Rebekah laughed. "Not by anyone in your history books. But my mother knew the witch Ayanna, who heard from the spirits of a mystical land where everyone was healthy... blessed by the gifts of speed and strength... that lead my family here, where we lived amongst those people."

"Ah, werewolves," I realised, nodding.

"To us, they were just our neighbors. My family lived in peace with them for over twenty years, during which time my family had more children, including me."

"You make it sound so normal."

Rebekah smiled. "It was. One full moon, Klaus and my youngest brother Henrik snuck out to watch the men turn into beasts. That was forbidden. Henrik payed the price... And that was the beginning of the end of peace with our neighbors." She took a deep, shaky breath. "And one of the last moments my family had together as humans."

My phone rang and Rebekah's dazed expression turned to a sad one. "You better get that. That'll be Damon checking up on you."

I answered my phone. There was music blaring loudly in the background. "Hello?"

"_Hey!"_

"Aren't you supposed to be de-rippering Stefan? Where are you?"

_"No idea, but I'm pretty sure I'm overdressed...Still standing?" _

"Peachy," I answered. "But I can't talk right now."

_"I'll be at the bar," _said a voice that wasn't Damon's.

"Stefan?" I exclaimed. "Is that Stefan?"

_"Yeah, I kinda went off a bit. Don't worry - I know what I'm doing."_

"Damon..."

_"I got his back, Lou."_

I put my phone in my pocket. Rebekah had dreamy look on her face. "He really loves you, doesn't he?"

I blushed. "'Love' is a pretty strong word."

"You're more than just a friend with benefits to him." She smiled. "I can see that."

And she had a thousand years of experience with 'love'... maybe she was right. But did I love him? I didn't know. I didn't even know what 'love' was.

"But I'll be honest." She lied on Damon's bed, crossing her legs. "I don't get you two as a couple. He might be in love with you, but he's still a vampire. We're a predatory species. We don't really have time for humans and their silly little lives."

"I'm a witch," I snapped back. "Not a human."

She rolled her eyes. "That just shows that you're even more unsuited for each other. Witches are suppose to _hate _vampires, not fall in love with them."

"There's nothing wrong with straying from expectations," I said. "Like you have. You're obsessed with humanity... being human. That's why you're so concerned with this homecoming dance." She tightened her lips. "You know what, I'm gonna go."

"You haven't even heard half the story."

"And you're not gonna tell me. You just want someone to push around. Find another toy, Rebekah... Maybe you can compel yourself a friend."

I made to leave. "The necklace wasn't Stefan's to give. It belonged to the Original Witch."

I turned back around. "The one who put the curse on Klaus?"

"Not just the hybrid curse. She's the one who turned us into vampires. After Henrik died, my parents decided they couldn't deal with any more loss and begged the witch Ayanna to call upon the spirits to give us strength and invincibility. She did not." A sad look crossed her face. Didn't she want to be a vampire? "I'm thirsty. Do you want a drink?"

I followed her down to the library. "Vampirism was a form of protection?"

"What else would it be?" Rebekah asked.

"Uh... a curse?"

"My parents only saw a way of keeping their children alive."

"Yeah, but you could've left. Fled from the place with the wolves and go back to Europe." She pursed her lips tightly. "Why did you stay?"

She sighed. "Pride... My father didn't want to run anymore. He wanted to fight and be superior to the wolves. Where they could bite, we had to bite harder. Where they had speed, we had to be faster. Agility, strength, senses... Ayanna wanted no part in it and told my mother that it was in her hands."

"In her hands? How could she do anything?" I asked.

"Because my mother was also a witch."

"What?"

"The witch of the Original Family. The Original Witch?" she said in a 'duh' tone. Rebekah searched through the shelves. "Where do they keep their best vintage?"

"Your mother was a witch? So, uh, are you..."

"A witch?" I nodded. "No, a witch is nature's servant; a vampire is an abomination of nature. You can either be one or the other, never both. My mother did this for us. She did not turn."

"How did you turn?"

"She called upon the sun for life, and the ancient white oak tree, one of nature's eternal objects, for immortality. That night, my father offered us wine laced with blood. And then he drove his sword through our hearts."

"He killed you?" I exclaimed.

"And he wasn't delicate about it either. But the aftermath... it was euphoric. The feeling of power was indescribable, but the witch Ayanna was right about the consequences. The spirits turned on us, and nature fought back... For every strength there would be a weakness. The sun became our enemy. It kept us indoors for weeks. And though my mother found a solution, there were other problems. Neighbors who had opened their homes to us could now keep us out. Flowers at the base of the white oak burned, and prevented compulsion. And the spell decreed that the tree that gave us life could also take it away... so we burned it to the ground. But the darkest consequence was something my parents never anticipated: the hunger. Blood had made us reborn and it was blood that we craved above all else. We could not control it. And with that, the predatory species was born."

"Why did Mikael start hunting Klaus?" I asked her.

"When Nik made his first human kill, it triggered his werewolf gene. With that, he became my father's greatest shame."

I nodded. "I heard that part of the story. Your mother had an affair with a werewolf. Klaus wasn't your father's son."

"She tried to make it right," Rebekah said. "She put the hybrid curse on Nik to suppress his werewolf side, and then she turned her back on him. But Mikael's greatest weakness as a human was his pride. As a vampire, that was magnified. He went on a rampage and killed half the village. Then he came home and killed her."

"Mikael killed your mother... his _wife_?" I exclaimed.

Rebekah frowned, tears in her eyes. "He said she broke his heart so he would break hers. He tore it from her chest as Nik watched. Afterwards, my father took off in a rage, and the rest of my family scattered. Nik stayed, so he could help me bury her. He knew I had to say goodbye to my mother. Elijah, Klaus and I swore a vow that day. _Always and forever_. Nik and I kept it."

"But didn't he carry you in a coffin for ninety years?" I said. "Doesn't that warrant for you to break that vow?"

She shrugged. "We're vampires. Our emotions are heightened. I'm stubborn, Elijah moral, and Nik... Nik has no tolerance for those who disappoint him. Over a thousand years as a family we've all made that mistake at least once. I've made it several times."

"Even after everything he's done, you still love him?"

"He's my brother. And I'm immortal. Should I spend an eternity alone instead? You've heard the story, it's time to go. I said leave, Louise! I don't know what you're up to, but I'm no longer playing along."

"I'm still looking for one reason why we shouldn't wake Mikael," I said.

"And I've given you a thousand! But you will anyway. I know you want him to help you kill my brother, I'm not stupid."

"Yeah, I want Klaus dead. He wants to use my sister as a human blood bag for the rest of her life and he's compelled Stefan, my best friend, to be a heartless, blood-thirsty monster who almost drowned me."

Rebekah narrowed her eyes at me. "Do what you need. Wake Mikael at your own peril. But make no mistake, if you come after my brother, I will rip you apart. And I get my temper from my father. Now leave!"

* * *

I met Elena, Bonnie and Ric in the Lockwood cave. They were trying to figure out the symbols on the walls.

"Did you get the information?" Elena asked me.

"Uh-huh," I said. "How's this going?"

"We, uh, filled in what we could." He pointed a stick to the respective symbols. "A Vampire, werewolf, slaughter, mayhem, etc."

I pointed to a symbol of a tree. "That's the white oak tree that was used in the spell to create the vampires... which means that was when they burned down the tree, destroying the only way that they could be killed."

"Okay. so tree equals weapon, sort of," Ric explained. "We already knew that. What we are not sure about is this... we've got the witch symbol, and what looks like a bleeding heart. Upside down figures usually signified death, of some kind."

"Mikael killed the witch by ripping out her heart. But... why is that one connected to the witch's death?"

"We don't know. We haven't gotten that far."

I stared at the symbol. It was the one for Klaus... "Oh my God," I breathed. "Rebekah... she doesn't know the real story."

* * *

"I thought I told you to leave. Twice," Rebekah snarled as I walked into the library.

"How do you know that Mikael was the one who killed your mom?" I pressed, the cave drawings in my hand.

"Nik was there. He told me."

"Klaus lied to you," I informed the Original.

Rebekah's face contorted in anger. "And how do you know that?" she said seethingly.

"The cave where you carved your family's names is covered in symbols." I showed the photos to Rebekah. "The story of your family. How your parents arrived, how they made peace, the spell that turned them into vampires, and this. This is the symbol for hybrid. It's a combination of the werewolf and the vampire symbol. And this is the one for your mother."

"Her necklace," she realised.

"And here is the story of her death," I explained. "The hybrid killed the Original witch. Not Mikael, _Klaus_."

"No! No, he wouldn't," Rebekah insisted, tears pooling up in her eyes.

"She put a curse on him, neglected him and made it so he was the only hybrid in existence... damned him to live a thousand years as the only one of his kind. The werewolf gene brings aggression and violence and when he turned, that was amplified. He killed her - _ripped _out her heart and made up this huge lie so that he wouldn't lose you two."

She glared at the photos, as if glaring at them would make them burst into flames and make untrue. "These mean nothing! They're just stupid drawings, done by stupid people who had no idea who my family was!"

She snatched the photos from my grip and tore them to pieces. Rebekah then tossed them into the fire, watching them burn.

"Then why are you so upset? You know that it's the truth!"

Rebekah was crying. "Why are you doing this to me? I've done nothing to you!"

"Klaus has a hold on you, Rebekah. He manipulates, he destroys and he doesn't care who he hurts. We have to stop him."

She vamp-speeded up to me and grabbed me by the throat, pressing me against the wall. Her face, for the second time today, turned into the predatory-vampire face.

"Shut up! Shut up! Don't talk anymore! Nothing!"

Rebekah let go of me. I gasped for breath. The blonde Original gasped and fell to her knees, clutching her stomach and sobbing openly on the floor.

"Rebekah, I didn't mean to h-"

"NO!" she yelled, her voice shaking with tears. "Just go! Leave me alone!"

I felt so guilty... I should have been nicer. Rebekah may have been a cruel, bratty, mean girl Original vampire, but beneath all that, she was just a girl who lost her mother and was still grieving.

The only thing I could do was walk away. She made it clear she didn't want to speak to me... with perfect reason. Sadness washed over me at the sight of the broken girl... and guilt. The guilt was strong.

In my determination to stop Klaus, I forgot who I was. I needed to make sure that didn't happen again.

* * *

_Dear diary,_

_It's been years since I wrote in this. Maybe I should take a leaf out of Elena's book. So much has happened in the last few years. My parents and my aunt Jenna... they're dead. I found out I'm a witch, my brother can see ghosts and my sister's the doppelganger - an exact physical copy - of a crazy bitch vampire. And I'm not messing or insane. _

_I think I'm in 'love' with a deadly dangerous vampire and I think he loves me back. Maybe it's because he's the bad guy type - to an extreme - or because he actually cares about me, but there's something about him that makes me want to be with him. Even though he's crazy and impulsive, I feel safe. But there's a part of me that's saying it's for a not-so-good reason. That it's because he'll never die, that I'll never have to deal with that loss. He'll always be there._

_I'm not sure where we stand. When it's just the two of us, he's caring, but still his cocky self, but when he's around others, he's cruel and over-the-top. I'm not going to change him, but I want him to change for me. Because he cares about me. Because he loves me._

_No one else understands what I see in him, but I see something beneath those walls he's put up. It's not good or bad._

_It's just him._

"Writing about me?"

I looked up abruptly. Damon was lying on my bed. I shut my diary and put in on my desk. "A simple text saying 'hey, I'm coming over' would be nice."

"We got Mikael."

And that made everything better. "What? How?"

"No idea. I guess Katherine came through. Plan's in motion. See, I told you I had it. Mikael's weapon is a stake... he mentioned something about that."

I tugged on the bed covers, trying to get Damon to budge. "I'm tired. I want to go to bed," I whined.

He grinned. "Stop acting like a child, Lou."

I rolled my eyes and pulled down the cover. I laid down on the duvet beside Damon. "I don't like that name. It makes me think of a toilet." I paused, thinking of the stake. "I'm guessing that stake of his is made of White Oak. He probably made it before they burned the tree down."

"So I was right. After all that, the wall lead us to Mikael."

"Led us to something else too. I think Rebekah's on our side."

"Really? What'd you learn from her?"

"I learned that beneath that Original vampire mean girl facade, she's just a girl. She lost her mother too young. She loves blindly and recklessly, even if it consumes her." I stared into Damon's icy blue orbs. "And when it's all said and done, there's nothing more important than the bond of family."

"Well, you should tell that to my brother."

"I think that you're gonna be the one to save him, Damon. Not Elena, not me... It'll be because he loves you more that anything in the world. Can I tell you the rest tomorrow? I'm exhausted."

Damon nodded and smiled kindly. "Sure."

I smiled back at him as I closed my eyes. Damon kissed my forehead gently. "Night, Lou."

* * *

_A/N: Don't forget to review, follow and/or favourite! I love to hear your thoughts or suggestions!_


	9. Homecoming

_Homecoming_

"Your father is dead... Oh, my mistake. Not your actual father and not dead. Mikael. Daggered. What do you want me to do with the body?"

_One hour earlier_

"Let's say that Mikael followed Elena and Louise in here. He tried to grab the doppelganger twin, so he could use her as bait," Stefan suggested.

"So then you vervained him?" I added.

"No! _We _vervained him. This guy is an original. Try to make it realistic."

Ripper!Stefan rolled his eyes. "Okay, fine. _We_ vervained him and in the process discovered that he had a dagger."

I caught on. "Which he planned to use on his darling daughter, but instead..."

"We drove it through his heart," Damon finished.

"But what about when he asks to see Mikael's body?" I asked. "We can't magic up another Mikael. This one was already difficult to find."

"Good point!" Damon patted my back gently. "You my brother have been compelled to do what Klaus says. So the idea is to lure him back here and kill him... last thing we need is you getting tripped up and tongue-tied."

"Well, don't look at me. I am just in charge of getting him back here," Stefan defended.

"Klaus is smart. If we tell him that Mikael is dead, he'll want proof," Elena said.

"Then I shall be dead," Mikael spoke up.

"What if he wants to see you in person?" Elena asked him.

"Well that means our plan is working. Klaus will absolutely want to see my body. You lure him here - and I will kill him," Papa Original explained.

"With what? Those daggers won't work on him," Stefan questioned.

"Well, I am in possession of a stake fashioned from the wood of the ancient white oak tree. The one that left these ashes when it burned," Mikael told us.

"Where is it?"

Mikael narrowed his eyes at the ripper. "Not here. The knowing of its location is my insurance policy."

Stefan scoffed. "Against what?"

"You leaving this in my heart." He held up the dagger. "You see, a vampire can´t dagger an Original without dying. So, it falls to either of you."

Elena and I looked at each other. Secretly, I wanted to dagger him. Rebekah told me what a dick he was to his family. Technically, he was the reason Klaus was such an evil person.

I took the dagger from him. "I'll do it."

"Klaus will leave nothing to chance. Especially when it comes to trust."

_Present time_

"Well, he's here. Come by whenever."

_One hour ago_

"You know, I'm gonna enjoy this more than I should." I shoved the dagger into his head. "_Dick_."

_Present time_

"It´s true. I saw it with my own eyes... That´s not a problem. She's right here."

Stefan handed the phone to Rebekah. "Hello, Nik... It´s true. He´s finally out of our lives for good. I miss you. I´m miserable here." She looked so guilty, leading her brother into a death trap. _Which he deserves..._ "Good. I'll see you then, brother." She hung up the phone and turned to us. "He bought it. He´s coming home."

"Now... was that easy or what?" Damon teased.

Elena rolled her eyes. "Let's just get this over with."

She pulled the dagger out of the Original's chest.

* * *

Elena searched through her closet for something to wear as Bonnie and I looked at the cave drawings. The doppelganger sighed. "I hate everything in my closet. I have nothing to wear to Homecoming."

I shrugged. "Don't go. Let's stay home, order pizza and over analyze ancient hieroglyphic thingies with Alaric."

Bonnie nodded. "Sounds good."

"We have to go. Caroline will kill us," Elena reminded.

"_Ha_!" Bonnie said. "Caroline actually has a date."

Elena sat on the bed with us. "You know that you can talk to me about Jeremy, right?" she said.

I nodded. "You can talk to me too, Bon."

Bonnie shook her head. "I don't need to talk about it. He fell in love with his ghost girlfriend and lied about it. What´s done is done."

"Jeremy hurt you, Bonnie. You have to get it out. We're-" I gestured to Elena and I "-mad at him too."

"You are mad at your little brother. You'll yell at him a little, teach him a life lesson. You can't really be mad like I'm mad."

"Bonnie..." Elena started.

Bonnie cut her off. "And you guys shouldn't have to be. He's your brother. So... no. I can't really talk to you about it."

* * *

Damon and I were preparing weapons in his room. "We can't trust Rebekah not to turn on us."

"Oh really?" Damon said sarcastically. "Cause these Original vampires are usually so reliable."

"Klaus may be cruel, sadistic and a sociopath who has done horrible things to her, but at the end of the day, he's still her brother," I told him.

"Her lying, mama-killing, dagger-happy brother," he said. "Wolfsbane is ready."

"There's too many people who can screw this up, Damon. Too many things that can go wrong."

"Well, I am formulating a secret contingency plan."

"Oh? Do tell," I urged.

Damon smirked and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Well, if I told you, then it wouldn't be a secret."

He leaned in and kissed me. "Well, aren't you two cozy." We broke apart. I glared at the obnoxious Ripper!Stefan. "I need to borrow a tie."

"You have your own ties," Damon said.

"Hm... I'm a one hundred and sixty two year old vampire and I'm going to a homecoming dance. I need better ties."

"You could do us all a favour and _not _go," I said, smiling sweetly.

"I'm compelled to protect your bloodbag of a sister. And if I look at you guys' track record at high school dances... it's pretty tragic. With my luck she'll go and get yourself murdered by the Homecoming Queen..."

I wasn't upset when Stefan left, no doubt to look for a better tie. I picked up a wolfsbane grenade and prepared to throw it when Damon snatched it out of my hand. "No!"

"I'm able to do it," I insisted as he put it on the table. "Ric taught me."

"Louise! If this thing blows up in our face... just remember: only one of us heals quickly," Damon said.

Stefan returned. "Ah... please tell me that you have a better plan than wolfsbane grenades?"

"Never you mind, brother. The less you know the better," his elder brother said.

"My freedom from Klaus rests entirely upon you two and Elena executing your plan perfectly. So, excuse me if I'm a bit cynical," Stefan explained..

"You're the one with the biggest chance of screwing this up," I said. "If Klaus asks you one wrong question, whole thing goes boom and we're all-" I dragged my finger across my throat "-dead."

"You do have a reason to worry, but if I look back in our history of epic plan failures, it's usually because one of us let our humanity get in the way. Upon taking odds on how this thing goes down, it's certainly not gonna be me who screws it up. I'll see you at Homecoming. I can't wait."

Then he left again. His back seemed to be my favourite sight these days.

Damon pulled my back into his arms. "Now, where were we..."

* * *

"You _daggered _her?" I exclaimed, walking into Stefan's room with Damon.

Elena was covering Rebekah's body with a blanket. "Yes. While you were having sex with Damon, I decided to be proactive."

I looked at Rebekah's body sadly. "I suppose you're right. She would've ruined the plan."

I probably would have done it myself if Elena hadn't... but Rebekah was looking forward to homecoming. She would have screwed it up last minute. Klaus was her brother after all.

"I feel horrible," Elena said guiltily. "I just daggered someone... and I made her trust me. I betrayed her!"

"It's for the best, I guess," I tried to comfort her. "We can undagger her later, when Klaus is dead."

Elena was panicking. "But she'll be so mad..."

"You'll be fine," I assured her. "No one's gonna hurt you. Which is why you're not going to homecoming."

"Why not?"

"Because when this all goes down, I don't want you getting hurt."

She smiled. "Just because you're fifteen minutes older, doesn't mean you get to act like an authoritarian figure. But fine, I didn't want to go anyway. What about you? Are you going?"

I nodded. "But I'll be fine. Everything's been worked out. Trust me."

* * *

"You sure you want to go?" Damon asked. "I'd be more than happy if you'd stay here..."

I rolled my eyes and smiled. "I'll be fine. Quit worrying. You'll meet me there?"

He nodded. "When everything gets sorted out, I'll go to the party."

"It's at the Lockwood mansion." His eyebrows rose. "The high school gym flooded. Tyler planned it at his house."

Damon's eyes widened in realisation. "Or Klaus did."

* * *

I walked up to Caroline when I arrived at the Lockwood mansion. "What a party. I don't suppose Tyler did all this..."

"How'd you know?" Caroline exclaimed in shock.

"Damon-" Caroline shot me a look. "What?"

"Can we just not mention Damon for the night?" she asked me. "Every time I think of you two, I-"

"Fine," I relented. "Let's just have a nice night." I looked over to Katherine, who was standing by the punch bowl pretending to be Elena. "Hey, I gotta go talk to Elena."

"Right."

I went over to my sister's evil doppelganger. "Oh, hi, Louise!"

I sent my eyes up to heaven. "I know." She looked shocked, but then nodded. "You know your part?" I whispered.

"Uh-huh," she replied.

* * *

Damon arrived soon after me and offered to dance. "Everything's running smoothly, then," Damon said as he twirled me around.

I nodded. "K-_Elena_-" He smirked. "Is perfectly aware of the KKP."

We nicknamed it the KKP, which stood for 'Kill Klaus Plan.' "He has his hybrids scattered all around the place," Damon told me.

"We'll be fine, Damon." I noticed Klaus approach us. "We're not doing anything, remember?"

Klaus smiled at the two of us, but it looked kind of forced. "Mind if I step in, mate?"

"Actually, I do," Damon said, wrapped an around around my waist possessively.

I unwrapped myself from him, annoyed that he was treating me like an object. "_Ahem_. It's not the nineteen hundreds. Women's rights, remember?"

"So what'll it be, love?" Klaus asked, still grinning. "I am quite the experienced dancer."

"I suppose with a thousand years of experience you ought to be." I looked to Damon. "I'd love to."

Damon's jaw fell a little as Klaus led me away. He clasped my hand in his and we danced. He really was a good dancer. "You look beautiful tonight."

I scoffed. "What game are you playing?" I asked him. "'Cause I really don't like games so lets get to the point."

"No games, love. I assure you," he said. "Perhaps I just want to dance with a pretty lady?"

I noticed Damon scowl a few feet away from us. "You're a thousand year old hybrid who's cunning and calculative as hell and you just want to dance?"

"That's it." He grinned. "Must there always be an ulterior motive?"

"Yes," I said simply. "It wouldn't surprise me if there was."

Klaus sighed. "Though my main reason for asking to dance was the reason I've stated, I also wanted to ask you about the plan you're friends have cooked up for this evening."

I was trying my hardest to keep my heartbeat slow. Damon and I practiced this a few times before. I had been perfecting my liar skills. "We haven't cooked up anything. Mikael is dead. _Daggered. _I did it myself."

He pulled away and we stopped dancing. "If I find out that you've lied to me, I will not be happy." I resisted the urge to gulp. I couldn't give him any reason to doubt me. "Have a nice night, Louise."

He walked away and I rejoined Damon. "Dick," the Salvatore growled. I got a glimpse of the white oak stake in his jacked. He brought his finger to his lip and I nodded.

* * *

Damon held my hand as I went out to the entrance hall. I heard Klaus roaring at Mikael. "No, hey," Damon stopped me, grabbing my arm. "You're not going in there."

"Why not?" I asked, glaring at him.

"You heard Klaus," Damon said. "We can pretend you knew nothing about the plan and you'll be safe. Go to the boarding house."

I shook my head. "No. I'm fine, Damon. I'm not some damsel in distress you have to constantly protect. Let me go."

I struggled beneath his grip. "No, not gonna happen. Go home, Louise. Please."

His eyes were begging with me. The ice broke and they were warm. I could never say no to Damon's warm eyes. "Fine," I relented. "I'll go to the boarding house. Just promise me you'll be safe."

He let go of me. "I promise."

* * *

"How did this happen?"

We screwed up. Stefan stopped Damon from killing Klaus, who then killed Mikael. The stake - the one thing that we could use against him - burned with Papa Original.

"We thought of everything, Louise!" Damon exclaimed angrily. "Klaus having hybrids. Mikael turning on us. We brought in Katherine so Elena wasn't in danger. Anything that could have gone wrong we were prepared for!"

"But Stefan wanted Klaus gone. More than any of us... that's what we were counting on."

"We blew it."

I let out a small sigh. The one shot we had... but Damon was taking it worse out of the two of us. "Where's Katherine?"

"She ran for the hills - as usual - the minute things got bad! And who blames her? Klaus would've crushed her. I had him, Louise. I had Klaus! This could have all been over!"

He threw a bottle of scotch into the fireplace, his face twisted in anger. I stood up and rushed over to him. "Hey. Damon! Look at me!" I cupped Damon's face in my hands. "We'll get through this. We always do. Trust me."

"We're never getting Stefan back. You know that, don't you?" Damon said.

"Then we'll let him go," I said, sadness laced in my tone. "We have to let him go."

Damon nodded and his phone wrong. "Not interested in the play by play of our failure right now, Katherine... That`s not very comforting at the moment. You're going back into hiding?... Take care of yourself, Katherine."

"She's gone?" I asked him.

"She's gone," he replied, nodding.

He looked melancholic. I couldn't blame him. The one plan we had to stop the guy who was controlling his brother was stopped by said brother.

And we didn't know where that brother was.

* * *

_A/N: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed or favourited this story._

_This chapter was the first Klouise romantic scene. What did you think? Still don't know what to call Damon/Louise... Damise?_

_Follow, favourite, review! _


	10. The New Deal

_The New Deal_

Waking up in Damon's bedroom had become the norm for me. It was like my second room, except I didn't have much stuff there. I really ought to.

I snuggled into his chest as he wrapped an arm around my waist. "If this is what happens when our plans fail miserably, maybe I'll start sabotaging them."

I rolled my eyes and laughed. "No, you won't, because then we'll stop having oh-no-our-plan-failed-sex."

"Wouldn't want that to happen," Damon said.

My phone beeped in my trousers' pocket. I got up, wrapping the blanket around me and checked it. _Meet me and Bonnie at the Grill? I think I'm going crazy - Elena._

I frowned and texted back. "What is it?" Damon asked.

"Elena's sanity," I said, strapping on my bra, facing the closet. "I'm meeting her and Bonnie at the Grill."

He groaned. "Why can't we just stay in bed all day?"

"As much as I would like that... I have a sister who's falling apart and a best friend who's having creepy dreams about coffins." I smiled at him. "Lie-ins aren't really an option."

He got out of bed and gripped my hips gently. "One of these days, we're going to just relax all day and eat pizza... and have sex."

I laughed and nodded. "Got it."

"Good," he said. "But for now... I'm gonna drink half of Virginia."

I furrowed my brows. "Is this because of Stefan?"

"Of course it is." His expression darkened. "He's gone. My brother's gone full ripper and I can't save him."

"He'll save himself, I know he will. We just have to wait." I examined him, worried. "Don't spiral."

He scoffed, a smirk plastered on his face. "I would never."

* * *

"I feel like I'm going crazy," Elena told us. "I'm totally paranoid all the time."

"You have a right to be," Bonnie said. "Klaus is still out there and he knows you tried to kill him."

"But why hasn't he done something?" I asked them. "Got some revenge. There's been no sign of him. I think I'm going insane..."

Bonnie sighed. "Join the club. Every time I close my eyes, I have that nightmare. On repeat."

"Same dream?" I questioned.

She nodded. "Yeah. Four coffins... Klaus is in one of them. It's weird."

"What if it´s not just some dream? What if it´s like... you know... a witch dream?" Elena asked her.

Bonnie shrugged. "It's just stress. I'll figure it out. And what about Stefan? Has there been any sign of him?"

I shook my head sadly. "He betrayed us... he killed our only chance at a Klaus-free life. The Stefan that we know is long gone."

She shot me a sympathetic look. "How's Damon handling it?"

My face fell. "Damon is... Damon."

* * *

"_What_?" I exclaimed.

"One of the workers told Ric and I that Jeremy got fired," he repeated. "Do I have to say it again?"

I groaned and pulled out my phone, calling my baby brother. The phone rang out, but Jer didn't answer. "Jeremy friggin' Gilbert, the _minute _you get this call me!" I hung up, taking my anger out on my poor phone. "Unbelievable!"

Damon was throwing darts. He smirked. "You're feisty when you are mad."

"I'm not mad," I told him. "Well... maybe a little. It's more that I'm worried.

"Why?" Damon asked, tossing another dart at the board. "He lost his job at the Grill. He can survive, Louise."

"He's spiralling," I said. "Since the whole Anna fiasco and Bonnie breaking up with him, he's gone moody. And he rarely ever leaves his room."

Damon shrugged. "Typical teenager."

"Who's also a medium and has lost everyone he cares about," I added.

"Not everyone. He still has you and Elena."

I shrugged slightly. "I suppose." I looked at Damon worriedly. "You alright, Damon?"

"What makes you think I'm not?" Damon asked through gritted teeth.

"You're daydrunk," I noted. "It's not your most attractive look."

He smirked as he edged closer to me. "Hm... what _is _my most attractive look?"

I rolled my eyes good-naturedly. "I never said you had one," I teased. "I'm saying this is my _least _favourite one."

"Noted," he said. "I'll see if I can make any improvements."

He stroked my cheek gently. I smiled at his touch. "Good."

"Don't mind me."

We turned to see our least favourite in the whole wide world... "Klaus," I said, glaring at him.

"You gonna do this in the Grill?" Damon asked. "In front of everyone? It's a little beneath you, don't you think?"

Klaus grinned. "I don't know what you are talking about. I just came down to my local pub to grab a drink with a mate." Klaus' 'mate' - a very sired hybrid, presumably - came up behind him. "Get a round in, would you Tony?"

That was the jogger I saw every morning... the creepy guy Elena had pointed out. So, he was a hybrid. _Of course._

"I'm surprised you stuck around town long enough for happy hour," Damon quipped.

"My sister seems to be missing. Need to sort that out," the hybrid said.

"Cute blonde bombshell... psycho... shouldn't be too hard to find."

"Truth is I've grown to rather like your little town... and the people in it." He shot me a wink and Damon growled beside me. "Think I might fancy a home here. Oh I imagine you're wondering how does this is affect you. The answer is... not in the slightest. As long as I get what I want and everyone behaves themselves you can go on living your little lives however you choose. You have my word."

"You broke your stupid hybrid curse. What more could you want?" I asked him.

"Well for starters, love, you can tell me where I might find Stefan."

"Stefan skipped town the second he saved your ass," Damon informed.

Klaus grinned. "Well, you see that is a shame. Your brother stole from me. I need him found so I can take back what's mine."

"That sounds like a Klaus/Stefan problem, not a everyone-Stefan-has-met problem," I said.

He stepped towards me. Damon jumped in between us. Klaus smirked. "Ah. Well, this is me broadening the scope, sweetheart."

* * *

Elena, Ric and I were preparing dinner. Ric was cooking as Elena and I set the table. "So, you guys ready?" he asked us.

"Vampires, hybrids and originals... no problem," Elena said.

"Rebelious, drugee brother... worried out of our minds," I continued.

"Proof that the two of you are still human." I shot him a look. "Oh, let me correct that. Human and human with juju," he teased.

I smiled. "Better."

The front door opened and Jeremy came in, going straight for the fridge. "Just in time for a nice family dinner, Jer," I said.

"Sorry, just passing through."

"Ah, well I thought we would all stay in, have a meal together like a typical... _atypical_ family," Ric told him.

Typical atypical family... perfect way to describe us.

Jer shrugged. "Why?"

"Maybe because you got fired and you didn't tell anyone," Elena snapped.

Jeremy's cocky face fell. "Ah... look, can we do this later? I made plans with Tyler. He's right outside."

"Wait!" Ric called as Jeremy made to leave with the hybrid. "When did you start hanging out with Tyler Lockwood?"

"I don't know... Does it matter?"

"Uh-huh." I nodded frantically. "It _really _matters. Tyler was sired by Klaus... which means he's his slave minion... which means he's dangerous. Two plus two here, Jer!"

Jeremy shushed me. "He can still hear you. He's right outside. Besides you of all people are gonna lecture me on who I can and can't hang out with?"

He meant Damon and Stefan. Of course. "Yeah. I am. Damon and Stefan aren't psycho hybrids who abide by Klaus' every demand. So drop the attitude."

Jeremy rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever, this is lame. Tyler's waiting."

Again, he tried to leave, but Elena blocked his way. "Oh, no, _no_! You're not going anywhere, _especially _not with Tyler."

He looked to me for help but I didn't budge. He switched his pleading glance to Ric. "I'm with the twins on this, Jer. Sorry."

Jeremy gave up, or so we thought. "All right, fine. You want me to stay in? Let's all stay in then." Yo, Tyler! Come on in!"

I gaped. "_Jeremy_! What the hell?"

The sired hybrid walked through the threshold.

* * *

**Salvatore Boarding House**

Damon poured himself a drink. He whipped around and saw Klaus, America's Most Hated Hybrid. standing in the doorway. "I think it's about time we had a drink, don't you?"

"I'd say we're overdue," Damon replied.

"Well, you've been so busy with all your plotting and scheming."

Damon smirked. "You know me. Never miss a chance to plan an epic failure."

Klaus grinned. "Don't be so hard on yourself. Who could have guessed your own brother would betray you?"

"Well, I did have a front row seat when your sister lied to you," he replied.

The hybrid's face fell. "Yeah, well, she's fickle that one. And you say you have no idea of her whereabouts?"

"That's the thing with younger siblings. You just never know what they're gonna do. Drink?"

* * *

**Gilbert House**

Jeremy handed Tyler a glass of water. "Thanks," the new hybrid said.

"This is weird," Elena spoke. "Klaus has hybrids stalking me and now you're just sitting in our kitchen."

Tyler looked awkward. "Look... maybe I should go."

"Oh, stay." He shot Elena a dirty look. "You're not doing anything."

"Unless you have to, you know, check in with your hybrid master," Elena said.

Ooh... low blow. Tyler chuckled. "It's not like that Elena."

"So what is it then?" I asked him. "Is it like compulsion? What's the difference between them?"

"Compulsion: that's just mind control... like hypnosis. And being sired is... it´s like faith. You do something because you believe it's the right thing," Tyler explained.

"So you believe that serving Klaus is the right thing?" Elena inquired.

"I don´t serve him," Tyler assured us. "Klaus released me from a curse that was ruining my life. I owe him for that."

"What if he asked you to jump off a bridge?

"He wouldn't! And even if he did, I'd be fine. I'm a hybrid," he said.

"Okay... so what if he asked you to rip your own heart out?"

The hybrid was uncomfortable. "Again... he wouldn't."

"What if he did?" Elena continued to press him.

"I don´t know! Then I'd rip out my heart!" Tyler exclaimed. All of our jaws fell to the floor, even Jeremy's. "You guys sound like Caroline, getting all freaked out over something you don´t understand."

"You're right Tyler I don´t understand," Elena said. "Klaus has terrorized every single one of us and you're just blindly loyal to him."

He shook his head. "You're over-thinking it. I can still make my own decisions."

* * *

**Salvatore Boarding House**

"Cheers, mate!" Klaus boomed, downing his drink.

"Down the hatch."

"You know, we´ve actually got a lot in common you and I," he said.

Damon scoffed. "Really, like what?"

Klaus grinned. "Like your pretty little girlfriend."

The Salvatore narrowed his eyes at him. "Louise? What could you possibly want with her?"

"She's a pretty thing," the hybrid said, making Damon growl. "As I'm sure you know... feisty as well. I've always preferred brunettes if I am to be honest."

Klaus was enjoying watching Damon get angry. "Well, at least she doesn't prefer psycho wolf-boys with daddy-problems and an addiction to killing people in her family."

He held up a finger, pausing his rant. "Ah, technically, I didn't kill her sister. Only her aunt."

Damon rose his drink. "Hybrid of the year," he said mockingly.

Klaus scowled. "And, other than our mutual liking of the Gilbert girl, we also have a mutual loathing of your brother."

"Why are you so mad at him?" Damon asked. "He stole something?"

The vampire was relieved. that Klaus dropped the previous subject. "My family, the Originals. I had them daggered, boxed-up awaiting the day when I saw fit to wake them. And he went in and pinched the bloody lot."

"Of course he did. Such a buzz kill, my baby bro. Well, I´d love to find him. Just the trouble is, I sure as hell don't work for you."

"You know, your drink stinks of vervain... so I can't compel you. There be no point in killing you because your actually the one with the most help of getting me what I need. And yet it would seem a demonstration is in order. Perhaps I wasn't clear enough when I told you to find Stefan. Well, it seems you people respond best to displays of violence. Why don't you take this as an example of my reach? I don't think Louise will be too happy about it."

He took out his phone and called someone. Damon watched him suspiciously "There he is! So, that thing I told you to do... why don't you go ahead and get on with it?"

* * *

**Gilbert House**

Jeremy got off the phone. "What was that about?" Elena asked him.

My baby brother shook his head. "It was nothing."

I was about to press him further when Tyler spoke up. "I got to go. Um... thanks for the food offer, but..."

_Klaus wants me to burn down an orphanage_...

"Next time," Ric offered. Tyler nodded to him before leaving. "That was illuminating."

"Yeah," I agreed thoughtfully. "So... Tyler Lockwood's a crazy hybrid, with unquestionable loyalty to the very person we're trying to annihilate... who now has access to our house."

"I mean this whole sire bond thing is... wild," Ric said. "I don't even think Tyler is fully aware of what little reason lies behind what he's saying. It's this weird cult logic."

"Well, great. That's a wonderful influence for you, Jer..." She turned around. Jeremy wasn't there. "Jeremy?"

His Gilbert ring was lying on the table. Oh no... he must have been compelled. This was Klaus' revenge.

"That's his ring," Ric said.

Elena picked it up. "Where did he go?"

We rushed outside. Jeremy was standing in the middle of the street outside our house, about to get run down by a car.

"Jeremy? What is he doing?" Elena panicked.

We ran towards him. "Oh my God!" I exclamed.

"Jeremy!" Alaric bellowed.

Elena shouted, "Jeremy, move!"

Ric pushed Jeremy out of the way as the car was inches away from him. Alaric was hit my the car instead. I knelt down beside Alaric and checked his hand, he was wearing his ring. _Thank God._

"There I go again. Bumping into people..." the hybrid from the Grill said. He drove away.

Jeremy stood up and rushed over to us. "He has his ring on. He'll be fine. Are you okay?" I said to Jeremy.

"I don't understand..." Jeremy replied, confused.

"Who was that on the phone earlier?" Elena asked him.

His face lit up in realisation. "It was Klaus!"

"You were compelled, Jer," I told him. "Come on, let's get him inside."

* * *

Ric was taking a while to wake. Elena knelt down beside him, clutching his hand in hers. I paced the living room, worried.

"How is he?" Damon asked.

"He's dead... but he had his ring. Klaus' hybrid hit him. Now, we just wait," I told him.

Damon nodded, turning his attention to my brother. "Jeremy, why aren't you wearing vervain? Where is your bracelet?"

"I don't know."

"It was Tyler," I realised. "He must have got you off vervain. That's why he was hanging out with you." Jeremy looked saddened. "Not that you're not awesome... you totally are, bro."

He glared at me a little. "Klaus is trying to send us a message. He wants us to find Stefan who stole his coffins full of his dead family members."

"Coffins?" Elena piped up.

"Yup! So all we have to do is find four coffins and... voila! No one else on your family's Christmas list needs to die!"

"Wait... that's your big plan? To steal back four dead originals so this evil hybrid doesn't kill me and everyone else we know?" Jeremy asked.

"You got a better idea?"

"Yeah! Let's get the hell outta here! Pack our bags and go!"

"Jer, hey. Calm down," I soothed.

"No, _no_!" he snapped. "I'm not gonna calm down, Louise! This happens every time, no matter what we do! You get on my case about school and work... who cares? None of us are gonna make it out of this town alive."

He stormed off. I stood there for a moment, stunned. He was right. It was one problem after another in this town, but leaving here wouldn't make it go away. There'd always be some other problem waiting for us.

"Klaus wants his family back," I said.

"No! _No_!" Damon said. "I know what you're thinking! The answer is no!"

"If we give him Rebekah-"

"Yeah, then Klaus undaggers her, first thing she does is kill your sister! And it's not like you haven't lost enough family members to last a lifetime!"

"Klaus' coffins... how many did you say they're were?"

* * *

"_Louise, hey," _Bonnie said.

"Klaus is looking for _four _coffins, like in your dream. Turns out it wasn't just stress."

_"Louise, don't get involved. Whatever Klaus wants, stay as far away from it as you can."_

"Bonnie, as much as I want not to be apart of this, Klaus is pulling me into it. He tried to kill Jeremy!"

_"What do you want me to do?"_

"We need to find Stefan. I know that you don't think your locator spell still works, and I'm not gonna chance doing magic since it's a full moon, but we have to try."

_"You don't need a locator spell..."_

* * *

Damon and I walked towards the abandoned witch house. "Shouldn't you be at home preparing for the full moon?"

"You make me sound like I'm a werewolf," I snorted.

"What's up with that, anyway?" Damon asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know. All that I know is that on full moons, my powers go boom and I'm suddenly a super witch with absolutely no control."

He shot me a sympathetic look. God, I was getting sick of those. He changed the subject. "I thought Bonnie said this place lost all it's mojo."

"The dead witches were pissed at her for bringing Jer back to life. I guess now they have something they want her to know."

Damon groaned. "I hate witches. So fickle... passive aggressive." I narrowed my eyes at him. He smiled sweetly. "You're the exception."

"Thanks," I said sarcastically.

We entered the house. "Stefan?" I called.

"Come on, Stef. Olly-Olly-Ox and free." He walked further into the witch house. The sun, despite him wearing his ring, made his skin burn. "Ah.. ow... uh!" He vamped into a corner. "Really? Still?"

"The witches obviously don't like you," I said. "You did call them fickle..."

"They're using their juju to screw with my daylight ring!" he exclaimed.

I rolled my eyes. "_Duh_! Wait outside."

"Louise!"

"I'm not leaving until I know he's here and we get those coffins," I said.

I walked through the house and Damon vamped out of the house. "Stefan?"

"Go away!" the ripper growled. "You shouldn't be here, Louise!"

"Bonnie said that you'd be here. We need your help, Stefan."

He huffed. "Well, Bonnie sucks at keeping secrets."

"You need to give Klaus his family back."

"Oh, really? Is that what I need to do?" Stefan smirked, amused.

"Klaus compelled Jeremy to stand in front of a care. He wanted to _kill _him! Don't you get it, Stefan? He's not gonna stop until he gets those coffins!"

"Louise, stop talking. I'm not giving Klaus anything."

"But... but he's going to kill Jeremy!" I tried.

Stefan shrugged. "Not really my problem."

And that... that hurt like hell. I slapped him across the face, anger boiling inside of me. Wind blew inside the house and threw him against the wall. Stefan's eyes widened as he gaped.

I took long, deep breaths, like Ric had taught me. I was in control... I was in control. The moon didn't control me... I wasn't a friggin' werewolf!

The wind stopped. "I'm not giving up on you, Stefan. You're gonna get you're humanity back. But 'til then, you can go to hell."

I rushed out of the house. He was so far gone... I wasn't sure if I'd ever get him back. I wanted the Stefan who comforted me and played video games with me. Who teased me and binge ate with me.

"That didn't go over well," Damon commented, having been listening to our exchange.

"Don't start," I grumbled.

"Let me talk to him!"

"The witches won't let you in," I reminded him. "Remember?"

He handed me his keys. "Here. Take my car keys. You go deal with your brother. I'll deal with mine."

* * *

_"He's not gonna stop, Louise. We have to do something."_

"Like what, Elena? Stefan won't give us Klaus' family back! There's nothing we can do."

_"Actually, there is. The one family member Stefan doesn't have."_

Who?... _Oh_. "Rebekah."

_"We can give her to him as a peace offering. Her life in exchange for yours and Jeremy's."_

I nodded, even though she couldn't see me. "Alright. Damon won't be too happy, though."

_"He doesn't own you."_

"No. He doesn't."

_"Tony, the hybrid... he gave me Klaus' number. I'll text it to you. You sure you're okay with giving Rebekah to him? Would you like me to?"_

"No. I'll be fine, 'Lena."

_"Okay."_

* * *

I opened the door to Klaus. "Thank you for coming."

Klaus grinned and entered the Salvatore Boarding House. "I trust you have news of Stefan."

"We couldn't find him," I lied. "But I have something else." I gestured for him to follow me and led him down to the cellar. "Before homecoming, Elena daggered Rebekah so she couldn't ruin our plan. It just so happens she's in this very cellar."

I opened up the cellar door and he walked in. Rebekah was lying on the floor, a dagger in her heart. "My poor sister. I can´t turn my back on her for a moment."

"You have Rebekah. A deal's a deal."

"The life of my sister in exchange for your brother's? Yeah, I´d say that´s a bargain. Consider him spared."

"When Rebekah wakes up, she'll go after Elena. I don't suppose you want to lose your human blood bag..." I said bitterly.

"I can control Rebekah," he insisted. "Besides, you and the scooby gang are needed to help me find Stefan."

"We don't know where he is," I said.

Klaus undaggered his blonde sibling. "You´re lying. Fortunately you have no shortage of loved ones. If I don´t find my family the question you should be asking yourself is who´s gonna die next. Bonnie? Caroline? Damon? It´s only a matter of time before Stefan gives me what I want."

"And why am I not dead?" I asked him. "It'd send them one hell of a message and you've already tried to kill Jeremy."

"I like the fire you possess, excuse me for not wanting it gone." He smiled slightly... a boyish smile. "So, where's Stefan? I know you know where he is."

"Yeah, I do." I was still shocked from his statement. My... 'fire'? What fire? That I go bonkers every full moon? "But I won't tell you. You should know he doesn't care about any of us anymore. You made sure of that when you took his humanity away... you turned him into a monster. Now he's your problem." I smiled sarcastically. "And you should also know that Rebekah kinda wants you dead. She knows that you killed your mother." His face twisted in a mixture of anger and fear. "I suppose you can let yourself out."

* * *

"Jeremy chopped a hybrid's head off?" I asked Elena, who nodded. "He's sixteen..."

She nodded again slowly. "I know."

"He can't be around this anymore."

Damon walked into the kitchen. "You know what to do then," Elena said before leaving the kitchen.

"Did you get rid of the body?" I asked him. "The hybrid's?"

"Yeah. Tony the headless hybrid is down at the bottom of Steven's Quarry."

"And Ric?"

"Took care of him, too. He'll be fine. How are you?"

I shrugged. "My baby brother just chopped off someone's head... you know, the ushe."

He cupped my face in his hands. "It's gonna be okay."

I ripped away from him. "I have to tell you something. I made a deal with Klaus. I gave him Rebekah."

"What? No... no, no, no! You did not do that. She's gonna come here and kill Elena and everyone she's ever met! Louise..."

"No she won't. Klaus won't let her kill Elena or me because he needs us."

Something akin to jealousy flashed in his eyes. What the... "And you trust him."

"No. I don't trust him _at all_. But what else can we do, Damon? I don't trust Stefan... you think he's just gonna hand over those coffins? His revenge?"

"My brother is... sort of running his own show right now."

"Huh. And my brother just beheaded a hybrid! He's a kid, Damon. He doesn't deserve this... he's not born into this world and we're dragging him into it."

"Louise."

I sighed and chewed my lip. "There's something we can do. And I feel like such a horrible person, but..."

He nodded. "I'll do it."

* * *

I leaned on the door of Jeremy's room. "Hey, Jer. Can we talk?"

He grinned. "Ah... what did I do now?"

"What you said earlier, about how we should pack up and go..."

"Louise, I didn't mean any of that."

Elena came up behind me. "But you were right. You shouldn't have to give up a normal life... just because of us."

"What's going on?"

Damon entered the room. "Your sisters think we should have another one of our talks." He sat down in front of him on his bed. "Here's the thing, Jer. You're gonna go out of town for a while... a long while. You're gonna stay with some nice family friends in Denver, you're gonna be at a new school, you'll meet new girls,_ living _girls. You're going to drink a few beers, take an art class. You do whatever you want."

"Tell him he's gonna leave Mystic Falls behind and never think twice about it," Ric told him.

Damon looked to me for approval and I nodded. "You're gonna leave Mystic Falls behind and never think twice about it. You're gonna have a better life, Jeremy."

I went out to the front porch, a lump in my throat and a pang in my stomach. Damon followed me out. "I feel like a horrible person."

"You just saved his life, Lou. Take it from me, strange is bad, dead is worse."

"But the last time you compelled him, he..."

"...found out. And he got over it. Again... not dead, Louise! He's so lucky to have you for a sister."

I smiled. "Thank you."

"No problem."

"You should know that Stefan didn't screw us over." I rose an eyebrow. "He screwed us over, but he had a good reason."

"What?"

"He saved Klaus to save me. Then he stole the coffins to get even."

I frowned in thought. "What? Damon... does that mean..."

"He's got his humanity back?" I nodded. "No, but it's slipping in. We might have him back soon."

I smiled happily. "Maybe after this Klaus stuff is over..."

That ruined the happy mood. "Klaus..." Damon growled.

"What'd he do now?"

He looked over to me. "Klaus told me something today... about you."

"Oh?"

It seemed like he was about to tell me, but backed down at the last moment and shook his head. "Nothing." He kissed my forehead gently. "I judt want you to know something."

His forehead was pressed against mine. I smiled. "I already learned a lot today, Damon," I teased.

He chuckled. "Just know that I'm in love with you."

Hearing that... it made my heart flutter. Nothing could have made me happier. But somehow, I already knew that he did. "I love you too."

* * *

_A/N: What'd you think of this chapter? Damise or Klouise? I really, really love to read your reviews, so... please review! They're like chocolate fudge cake!_


	11. Our Town

_Our Town_

_Dear diary,_

_I'm actually writing in this again. I feel like Elena... But this is badly needed._

_Stefan - my best friend - is a full blown ripper... someone who kills without remorse. He flipped the humanity switch in the back of his head, which means he feels nothing. Not love, hate, anger... nothing. But Damon thinks he can be saved, so I do too._

_Damon told me he loves me. That's a lovely thing to hear, but it's so damn annoying when after that, he doesn't call you for three days. I know he's alive and well. Both Elena and Bonnie have spoken to him... but he's ignoring me._

_I had him compel my little brother, Jeremy, to leave town and go to Denver. Which sucks... because I miss him, but I know this is the best thing for him. He can't stay here with everything going on._

_And I'm just wondering, but what the hell is 'a fire' other than a really hot flame?_

"Writing in a diary? Isn't that Elena's thing?"

I looked up to see Ric, smirking in the doorway. I grinned. "Well, it's mine now. It's better than venting my frustrations out on you or Elena. And coach said my swimming techniques go _plop _when I'm angry."

He held up his hands in defense playfully. "Hey, hey, I didn't say anything."

I threw my pen at him, but with speedy - almost vampiric - reflexes, he caught it. "You can do better than that, surely. Have I taught you nothing?"

"I didn't want to hurt you," I lied.

"Hm... Elena's my new favourite student."

I stood and stormed over to him, my diary still in my clutches. Ric chuckled and ran a few feet, but I caught up with him and slammed the book on his head. "Take. That. Back!" I demanded between giggles.

"Fine, you're my favourite!" I smirked and back away from him.

"Good."

I went back to my room, only to hear him mutter, "Elena is so my favourite student."

And he intended for me to hear it.

* * *

As soon as I walked into the High School, I was practically pounced on by an angry Bonnie. "You told Damon to compel Jeremy," she said angrily. "You didn't even tell me!"

"Hey, Bon," I tried to soothe her, but she was getting angrier by the second. "Look, I was only protecting him."

"You're trying to control his life!" she bellowed. The people around us turned to stare, so she continued in a much more hushed voice. "You and Elena... you think you know what's best for him, that you can just rule his life, but you _can't_. You deserves choices, you can't just take them away."

Guilt washed over me. "Bonnie, I'm sorry, but it's for the best."

I bit my lip and walked past her. "Don't you dare walk away from me!" she called after me.

I went over to Caroline's locker, more depressed than I was when I came into school. Elena had decorated the locker. She frowned when she heard the first bell. "Caroline's late. She's never late unless she's not coming in."

"We'll just go to her house later, then," I suggested.

She nodded. "Yeah." She looked at me for a moment. I tried to will myself to smile at her, but I couldn't. "Bonnie pounced on you too?"

"She's right, isn't she? We shouldn't have taken his choice away."

"It was for the best."

I sighed. "I sure hope so."

* * *

"Happy birthday!" Matt yelled after we jumped up from our hiding places.

We all had a party hat on our heads and balloons in her hands. I had my present in my other hand. "What are you guys doing here?" she asked us.

"Well, you blew off school and missed our work of birthday art, so..." Elena started.

"Change into warmer clothes, we are going to the Falls. S'mores, camp fire..."

"Cake!" I boomed. "Like when we were kids."

Matt sing-songed, "Except with the tequila!"

She looked a little depressed. "Thanks, guys. Really... I'm just not feeling my birthday this year."

We were all shocked. "I'm sorry, what? You've already claimed your birthday as everyone's favorite day of the year."

"Yeah, and now, it's just a reminder that technically... I'm dead. Look, I didn't even like seventeen. And the only point to being seventeen is to get to eighteen. It's a filler year... I'm stuck in a filler year."

"You're not stuck, Caroline," Elena assured her.

"Yeah I am, but it's okay. You know, it's all good, I'll be fine. But I just need some time to wallow in it."

Elena grinned mischievously. "Okay, well I think I have another idea."

* * *

We entered one of the mausoleums. "There it is!" Elena exclaimed happily.

"This is creepy... even for us," Bonnie commented.

"No, Caroline was right... technically, she's dead. Sorry. But you don't need a birthday, you need a funeral. You need to say goodbye to your old life, so that you can move on with your new one."

"Okay." She took a deep breath. "Here lies Caroline Forbes..."

"...Cheerleader, Miss Mystic Falls, third grade hopscotch champion..." Elena continued, sticking candles into the cake.

"...friend, daughter, overachiever..." Bonnie added.

"...one of the bestest friends a girl could ask for, but a dolly and barbie robber..." I mock-glared at her and she laughed.

"...Mean girl, sometimes, no offense," Matt said.

She giggled. "None taken."

"She was seventeen, and she had a really good life. So rest in peace, so that she can move forward. That's what you really need. What we all really need. Amen, or cheers or whatever. Bonnie?" Elena gestured to the cake. Bonnie lit the candles using magic. "Nice! Okay, make a wish."

The vampire closed her eyes and made a wish.

* * *

The five of us were shoveling down cake. Matt took a bottle of tequila from Bonnie, but Elena snatched it from him before he could drink it. _Rude._ "I need it more than you do, trust me." Nobody needed it more that Matt Donovan did. Living on his own, supporting himself, being dragged into supernatural business... Elena just had a ripper boyfriend. Which was pretty bad... but still. "Caroline, what are you doing?""

Caroline stopped texting and straightened up. "What? Nothing." She was playing innocent.

"You're a disgraceful sober liar, Care," I said with a smile. "And you're _horrendous_ when your drunk."

Caroline sighed. "I might have texted Tyler."

"Caroline..." Elena said.

"What? I'm delicate," she said innocently.

"Give her a break! You can't control what everyone does all the time," Bonnie snapped.

"Wow."

"Ouch, Bon," Matt said.

And like that the mood went _bash_. "Sorry, I know it's Caroline birthday, funeral or whatever but, I just feel it's really wrong that you guys compelled Jeremy to leave town."

"We did it to protect it. He didn't deserve to be dragged into all this," I said.

That didn't calm her down at all. "He should be able to choose how he wants to live it, you're taking his choices away."

"Bonnie, you can't tell him," Elena begged.

"Why? Are you gonna compel me not to?" Bonnie spat.

Matt attempted to ease the sour mood. "You know, you guys are ruining a perfect funeral."

"I'm sorry," Bonnie said, standing up. "I'm just gonna go sleep it off or something." She turned to Caroline. "Happy birthday."

A few minutes after Bonnie left, Tyler arrived in the crypt. "Sorry, I didn't mean to crash the party."

Matt narrowed his eyes at his best friend. "So don't."

"No, it's-it's okay." She turned to Tyler and smiled. "Hi."

"Can I talk to you for a sec? It's kind of important."

Caroline nodded and left the crypt with Tyler. "Are you okay?" Elena asked Matt when the two lovebirds were go.

Matt took the bottle from Elena and drank from it. "Yeah, I want her to be happy, you know? It's what I want for all of you guys, in the middle of this crazy life you got stuck living."

"You think we're stuck?" I asked him.

Matt shrugged. "I'd say it's attached itself to you all pretty tight, yeah."

Elena pursed her lips and there was silence. "Bonnie is right, you know." She looked to me. "We had no business messing with Jeremy's head. I suppose we didn't know what to do... he's in danger here. And we can't lose anyone else that we love."

I nodded. "As much as I hate myself for doing it, we did what was best for him, 'Lena."

* * *

Caroline didn't come back to the crypt. Matt and Elena were looking for her through the woods and so was I. We separated, considering they were two humans who needed all the muscle they could get and I was witch who could fry people's brains.

I had taken to observing my power. At night, I was stronger, on a full moon, I was amazing... _scary_, but amazing.

I found Caroline slumping against a tree, sobbing. "Care," I said, kneeling beside her. "What happened?"

"He bit me!" she exclaimed. "Tyler bit me!"

"What? Tyler would have never..." Then it dawned on me. "...oh."

She looked up to me, tears in her blue eyes. "What?"

I shook my head. "Nevermind. Come on. We gotta get you home."

* * *

Caroline's arm was wrapped around my neck. "Daddy... Daddy... is that you?"

"Caroline..."

"Why would you hurt me, Daddy? I never did anything bad... and you t-tortured me. No! I'm not!" She was brought back to reality and began to sob. "He was there, Louise. I saw him! I saw him!"

"Shh..." I soothed. She looked hungry. I stopped in the middle of the path and offered her my wrist. She shot me a questioning look. "Here. Drink."

"I-"

"You can," I finished. "You need it."

She nodded unsurely and bit down on my wrist. The control-freak inside her stopped pretty quickly, only draining as much blood as she needed. "Thanks."

"Anytime."

She leaned on me as I carried her the rest of the way home. "If I'm... if I'm gonna die, I-"

"Caroline, you're not gonna-"

"If I am," she cut me off. "I just want to say sorry. Damon... he loves you, and you love him. And if anyone deserves to be happy, it's you."

"Thank you." I rang the doorbell of her house. "But you're not going to die tonight. I'm not gonna to let you."

She smiled at me. Caroline's mom answered the door, looking at her daughter worryingly. "What happened?"

"Tyler bit her," I said. "We need to get her inside."

"Oh my God, sweetheart. Oh, honey. Caroline, honey, can you hear me?"

Sheriff Forbes helped me bring her inside. "I'm sorry, Mom," Caroline said.

I laid her on her bed. "She keeps hallucinating. Klaus, you know Klaus?" She nodded. "His blood is the cure. I need to get him. Take care of her."

* * *

I stormed into the Town Hall, where the Wickery Bridge Fundraiser was going on. I gave up on being the perfect Founders' daughter a long time ago, Elena fitted that role better than I ever could.

Klaus was nowhere to be found. I looked everywhere, asked the majority of people at the party who said that he had either left or was somewhere else in the house. I even checked the back yard!

I went to the front of the Town Hall and saw Klaus, who was leaving the party. "Klaus!" I called, he ignored me. I rushed down the steps and followed him as he walked down the path. "Klaus! _Klaus_! I know you can hear me!"

He whipped around angrily. "I've had enough of you lot to last a lifetime! Stefan almost drove your sister off a bridge! Were you in on it too?"

"No, no, of course not," I replied, shaking my head. "I was too busy taking care of my friend who's dying from a wolf bite."

I glared at him. "Are you genuinely not afraid of me or something that you have the audacity to speak to the Original Hybrid like this?" He seemed amused at the prospect that I wasn't quaking in fear.

"My fear for my best friend's impending death overrides any fear I have for you." The amusement was wiped off his face. "Tyler bit her, which I find curious. It can't be a coincidence that Tyler Lockwood, who so happens to be sired to you, bit Caroline, the girl he's madly in love with. My guess is that you used the sire bond to make him do it. But why? To get back at Stefan? Because that's just stupid, Klaus. Stefan doesn't care! And you don't have a right to be mad because all of this is your fault! You're the one who compelled him to flip the switch, if you didn't then all this wouldn't have happened. He wouldn't have stole your stupid coffins! You're forcing the repercussions of your mistakes on us! And it's not right. So I'm going to ask you to fix it."

He growled. "And if I don't? What'll you do?"

I shrugged. "Nothing. That's why I'm asking. Caroline's an innocent person, she shouldn't have to pay for yours or Stefan's mistakes."

"You speak of innocent people dying, but yet you're in love with a vampire. Isn't that hypocritical?" Klaus asked me.

"I see the good in him and he hasn't killed anyone in a long time."

"How do you know that?" he inquired.

"Because I trust him." Klaus looked a little shocked that that was all I was going on, but it was true. Damon told me he hadn't killed anyone, save for Klaus' slave minion hybrids, and I believed him. I realised I was staring at Klaus and pulled my gaze away. "Please, Klaus. Give Caroline your blood. I'm _begging _you."

He smirked. "I'll take it under consideration."

He walked away from me. "By the way, it's her birthday," I called after him, hoping that would help shift the weight to our side.

* * *

Elena was crying into her pillow when I went into her room. Her sobs were heartbreaking. Since my parents died, I was afraid to cry... in case I didn't stop. There were two people in the world I ever told that to: Stefan and Jenna.

Saying 'I love you' to Damon was a huge step for me. That was the last thing I said to my mom before she died. I was healing... slowly but surely. It takes a little while to get over losing so many people... especially your parents.

I laid down on the bed next to her. "He-he was about to d-drive me off W-Wickery Bridge!" Elena sobbed.

"I know," I said. "I heard."

She sat up and wiped her eyes. "Will we e-ever get over it? Their deaths?"

I shook my head. "I don't know."

* * *

The doorbell rang late that night. I grumbled and answered it. Whoever was calling...

_Klaus_.

"Uh... hi," I said.

"I don't suppose you'd like to invite me in?"

"No offense, but..."

He nodded. "I understand. Can I speak to you for a bit?" I rose an unsure eyebrow. "I promise I won't bite."

I rolled my eyes and stepped outside. "First of all, bite jokes aren't funny."

He chuckled. "Got it. I just thought you'd like to know your friend Caroline is healed up."

I smiled at him. "Thank you."

Why was I thanking him? He was the one who made Tyler bite her, but this was a step up from evil, homicidal hybrid, I guess. Maybe he wouldn't terrorise us anymore.

"You surprised me today," he said. I was confused. "You're loyalty to your friend, it was admirable."

I shrugged and shoved my hands into my nightgown pockets. "It's nothing. I'd do anything for the people I love."

"Loyalty is one of the few qualities I admire in people," he said. "I think it's one of the greatest traits a person could possess."

He wanted loyalty. That's why he sired hybrid. He wanted loyalty and friendship... and that made him that bit more redeemable. Not that I was willing to forget everything he did, nor did I have any reason to, he was still a horrible person in my mind.

"I'll try not to hurt the people you care about anymore," he said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because you care about them. Good night, Louise."

He'll _try _not to... like it was so difficult. But it at least it was a step up from killing everyone I love.

I found myself staring after him, more confused than ever. _Because you care about them_... what did that even mean? That he cared about me? No. No way. _Homicidal hybrid, duh, he doesn't care about anything but his safety. He's playing games._

I shook my head and went inside. Ric was standing there, waiting for me in the hall. "What did Klaus want?"

I shrugged. "Caroline was bit by Tyler and he healed her because I asked him to. He was just coming over to tell me." Ric's expression didn't change. "But you knew that, didn't you? You were listening."

"He's dangerous, Louise," Ric said. "More so than Damon."

"You're saying that..." I shook my head frantically. "_No_. Nope! Absolutely no, Ric! I'm going to bed."

I made my way half-way up the stairs when I heard Alaric mutter, "What's up with her and the bad guys?"

I stopped when I heard that. _What is up with me and the bad guys?_

* * *

The morning after, Elena and I were saying good-bye to Jeremy on the front porch. Elena was going first with hugs. "You're gonna have to let me go eventually," he joked.

"Be safe, okay?" Elena said.

"Yeah, okay, alright."

She let go of him, but as soon as he was Elena-free, I pounced on him and wrapped my arms around him. "I'm gonna miss you, Jer."

He laughed. "I'll miss you too, Lou."

I pulled away from him and smacked his arm. "_Hey_, I am not a toilet!"

We laughed. "I should go. Alaric is waiting."

I nodded, but just then, Bonnie ran up to us. "Good, you haven't left yet."

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to say goodbye."

The two of them hugged. Jeremy grabbed his bags, looking at the three of us for one last time before going towards the car.

That was harder than I thought it would be.

The car pulled away, my brother along with it. I sat down on the swing, but twisted uncomfortably when I felt something underneath me. I slid over to the other side of the swing and saw a navy, velvet box. Hopefully it's from Damon. I opened it. Inside, there was a gold bracelet decorated with diamonds. Elena sat down beside me and took the note.

"_From Klaus_," she breathed.

I was shocked to say the least. I shut the box suddenly and stood up. "What does he want?" Bonnie asked.

"I have no clue."

* * *

_A/N: Follow, favourite, review! Klouise, Damise or a completely different pairing? Do you like the diary entries or are they horrible?_


	12. The Ties That Bind

_The Ties That Bind_

"I've been having these dreams for days now. It's like the witches are trying to send me a message," Bonnie told us.

"And Damon knew?" Bonnie nodded slowly. "I can't believe you guys kept this from us."

"Stefan thought, if you two knew where the coffins were, Klaus could threaten people to get the information out of you."

"So, these are the rest of his family?" Elena asked.

"Yeah. Elijah and two others," she answered. "This one... is the one we can't open. We don't know who is in it, or what's in it, only that I think my dream's telling me it'll help us kill Klaus."

Stefan barged into the room "What the hell are you doing?"

"I needed them to know about the coffin," Bonnie told him.

"And I needed you to keep them out of it, Bonnie," Stefan snapped.

"So what are you gonna do, Stefan? Are you gonna kidnap me, so that I won't tell anyone?" Elena asked angrily.

"Don't tempt me," he spat.

"I think I know who can open the coffin, Stefan. And I need Elena and Louise to help me find her," Bonnie said.

"Find who? What are you talking about?"

"I couldn't place her face at first. Then I realised..."

She showed us a photo of her mom. "Oh my God," I muttered.

Stefan looked at the photo. "Who is this?

"It's my mom."

* * *

"Los Alamitos?"

"Too old."

"Honolulu?"

Bonnie scoffed. "I wish. How many of these are there?"

"A lot. I asked the sheriff's office to pull up every single Abby Bennett in the country," Elena said.

"I know we haven't been able to really... that things had been weird, because of Jeremy, so, thank you guys for helping me with this. I know you have a lot to deal with," Bonnie said.

"There's nothing more important, Bonnie," Elena assured her.

"It's surreal. Having to track down a woman who bailed on her own kid."

"You don't have to, Bonnie," I said. "Just because Stefan has this obsession with opening the coffin, doesn't mean it has to fall on you."

"The coffin is spell shut. That makes it a witch problem. And you can't use magic as much anymore... so it does fall on me. I was bound to see my mother again sooner or later."

Damon entered the kitchen, a paper in his hand. "Sooner. Abby Bennett Wilson, Monroe, North Carolina. Born in Mystic Falls Hospital, graduated at Mystic Falls High... blah blah blah." He handed Bonnie a piece of paper. "A little compulsion helps sped up the research process."

Bonnie was staring at the paper. "This is her."

"Yep. Roadtrip. I call shotgun."

"Yea... no," I said.

"Want me to hang out in the back with you?" Damon wiggled his eyebrows.

I was so angry and frustrated with him. He _ignored _me for a whole week and then suddenly we're best buds again?

"You're not coming, Damon," Elena told him firmly.

"Why? I'm the one who found her."

"Bonnie hasn't seen her mother in fifteen years," I said. "We don't need that commentary of yours narrating the experience."

We didn't speak and there was silence. "What's going on with you two?" Bonnie asked.

"We professed our love for reach other. Now it's weird. Have a great trip."

He left and went out to the porch. "Excuse me," I said to Elena and Bonnie before chasing after him.

"Damon!" I called.

He whipped around. We were standing on the porch. "Yes, Lou?"

I threw my hands in the air, frustrated. "What's up with you?"

He shrugged. "What's up with what?"

"Don't play innocent," I snapped. "You've been ignoring me. One minute it's 'I'm in love with you' and the next you're not even returning my phone calls? What the hell?"

"I thought you'd like some time to spend with your new wolfy love interest," he snarled.

"_What_?" I exclaimed in a high tone.

"Klaus." I gave him an 'are you freakin' serious' look. "I heard your conversation last night."

"He only came over to tell me that he healed Caroline!" I insisted. "How did you get 'love interest' from that?"

"He's interested in you, Louise!" he said.

I shook my head. "No, he's not, Damon. You're acting like a child." I edged to the front door. "And if you're going to play the jealous boyfriend, at least pick someone worth while to be jealous of. Call me when you get your sense back."

* * *

"I just can't belive that I'm actually going to see her. Or meet her. Sort of... Since I don't really remember her," Bonnie said as we drove to her mom's house.

"You don't really talk about her," I said.

"What's to say? She left, never wrote, never called," Bonnie replied. "Not even when my Grams died. Could we talk about you and Damon instead?"

I shrugged. "He told me he loved me, then he didn't answer my calls for a couple days and now he just pops up and decides to play the jealous boyfriend. Nothing to talk about, really."

Bonnie frowned. "Who's he jealous of?"

"Bonnie, I-"

"Come on!" Bonnie said, grinning. "If he's making Damon jealous, then he has to be something."

"Oh, he's something," I told her. "Not that I'm interested. And neither is he... Damon's just insecure."

"So... who is it?" Elena pried from the back.

I sighed heavily. "Klaus."

"_Klaus_?" they both exclaimed.

"Like I said, so not interested," I assured them. "He just came over to say that Caroline was healed up..."

"...and gave you a thousand dollar necklace," Bonnie finished.

"...which means nothing but that he's playing games."

Bonnie scoffed. "Sure. Uh-huh. Whatever you say."

"I'm done with this conversation," I said. "No more Damon or Klaus talk. Okay?"

She rolled her eyes. "Right." Her phone rang. "Oh... It's Stefan. I told him I'd call him as soon as I got the address."

"Ignore him. Bonnie, your about to see your mom for the first time in fifteen years. I'm not letting anyone ruin that moment," Elena stated.

"Yeah, but he's gonna keep at it until I pick up."

"Fine." I picked up the phone and answered it. "Hey, ripper bestie. How are you doing?"

_"Where are you?"_

"I'm fine, thanks," I said sarcastically.

He groaned. _"I don't have time for this, Louise."_

"Right, I forgot you sceduled your next kill at sundown. Bonnie, Elena and I are going to spend the night at the lake house while we wait for Sheriff Forbes to give us more addresses. No look as of late, I'm afraid."

_"You're kidding me, right?"_

"Wish I was, Stef, but I'm not. We need a night off from your ripper insanity. Threatening to drive Elena off the cliff where our parents' died? Low blow. Low blow."

He ignored my scolding. _"Klaus is getting antsy. He knows that I'm stalling. We need to move faster."_

"We're doing everything we can. You calling every five minutes kind of slows us down, maybe you can... uh... not?"

_"Sure, Louise. Whatever you say."_

* * *

"I don't think ripper!Stefan likes me very much," I said, walking up to Abby's house.

"Ripper!Stefan doesn't like anyone much," Elena replied, looking around. "Cute house."

"Yeah, in the middle of nowhere," Bonnie commented.

"You ready?" I asked the Bennett witch.

She nodded and rang the doorbell, slightly shaking. A boy answered the door to us with a kind smile. "Hey, there."

"Hey, we're looking for Abby Wilson," Elena told him.

"She's not home. Something I can do for you?" the boy answered.

Bonnie looked slightly relieved that she didn't have to face her mom. "It's okay, we can come back."

She made to leave, but the boy continued to speak. "I'm sorry, but you look so familiar."

"Em... Abby is my mom."

His eyes widened. "Oh... I'm Jamie. You guys wanna come inside?" We nodded. "Right this way."

* * *

"You guys sure, you don't want anything? We got fresh OJ, coconut water, some mango guava something," Jamie offered.

"Water is fine," Bonnie said.

He nodded. "Cool."

"So, are we... like related?" Bonnie asked him.

He shook his head. "Oh, no. Abby is not my mom."

"Oh?" I questioned, signalling for him to continue.

"Yeah, she dated my old man back in the day. He's kind of a deadbeat, so when they broke up she took me in. Put me through school. Didn't freak out when I totalled her car. Twice."

Bonnie laughed, smiling dreamily. "She sounds... great."

A woman I barely recognised as Abby Bennett-Wilson entered the house. "Jamie? Who's car is out front?"

"That's mine. I'm Bonnie. Your daughter."

Abby gaped slightly, I saw the guilt in her face. She recovered quickly. "Hello, Bonnie."

* * *

Bonnie held a photo of Jamie in her hands. "How are you holding up?" Elena asked.

She shrugged. "I'll be fine. I'm not here to get my mom back, I'm just here to get her help."

Abby came in into the living room. "So, I hope you guys are hungry, cause food has always been my go to ice-breaker."

"You have a really beautiful home," Elena complimented.

"You're so sweet. Just like your mom."

I shot up. "You knew our mom?"

She nodded. "Miranda was my best friend."

"So, you had a daughter _and_ a best friend and you still left?" Bonnie questioned.

"My best friend is why I left. Fifteen years ago a vampire came to town. Looking for you two. Looking for the doppelgänger and a lunar witch. No one could manage to kill him. So I lured him out of town and cast a spell to desiccate him in a crypt in Charlotte."

_Mikael_, I realised. But why would he want me? "What's a lunar witch?"

"You don't know?" I shook my head. "It's rare. A lunar witch usually pops up in a line of witches-turned-humans, after witch magic dies out in the family. But there's a cost. They're weaker than most witches except for nights and full moons, where the power becomes uncontrollable. I'm sorry, I don't know much except for the basics. That vampire wanted to raise you and use you to kill Klaus."

"Mikael. He was an original vampire," I said.

"It took every ounce of power I had. Almost killed me. I recovered. But my magic didn't. My powers never came back."

"And neither did you," Bonnie said.

"It wasn't that simple."

"It wasn't? You cast a spell, put Mikael down and then... what? You had to teach Jamie how to drive?"

"Bonnie..." Elena warned.

"This was a mistake. She has no magic. She can't help us."

Bonnie was about to leave, but her mom ran after her. "Bonnie, wait, please. Don't go. Talk to me... Please?"

I looked between them and said, "We'll wait outside."

* * *

We went out to the barn. "Uncontrollable power? I already knew all that!" I complained.

"Well, at least we found out what you are. We can look for it in the grimoires," Elena said. We stopped walking when we saw our very ripper friend. "Stefan."

"Hey, Louise. Nice lake house." He looked between us. "So, what did you guys think, I wouldn't find it out?"

"Honestly, I didn't care," Elena stated, shrugging.

"This is exactly why I didn't want you guys in the loop," Stefan said.

"Yeah, because now you can't do whatever the hell you want," I said.

He kicked a chair angrily. "Damn it!" he roared.

"Quit the tantrum!" I yelled back. "You're acting like a child!"

Jamie came into the barn. "Hey! Everything alright out here?"

"Just go back inside, Jamie," I said. "It's better off you go, trust me."

He shook his head defiantly. "I don't think so."

"I'd listen to her," Stefan said, agreeing with me. "Get back upstairs, man."

"I said 'I don't think so'," he repeated.

In one sudden move, he grabbed Abby's adoptive son by the throat and compelled him. "Go back upstairs, before I tear your damn throat out. Do you understand me?"

He let go of poor Jamie and the boy left. "I don't think you've realised how bad you've gotten!" Elena exclaimed.

"It's the way it has to be, Elena," Stefan insisted, almost sadly.

Elena scoffed. "Oh, yeah, right. 'Out villain the villain.' I get it."

Jamie came back into the barn with a gun. "You're not supposed to be here," Jamie said.

"Jamie, what are you doing?" Elena asked.

"What I was told. He's not supposed to be here," he repeated robotically.

"Elena... he's compelled," Stefan told us.

Jamie shot Stefan with one pull and he fell to the ground. You'd think a witch would have her _human_ son drink vervain...

Klaus, I realised. So much for not hurting the people I care about...

He walked towards us like a mindless zombie. I clenched my fist, trying to give him an aneurysm... it didn't work. "What the hell?"

That _stupid _herb!

The last thing I saw was the barn. Jamie put his hand over my mouth, ignoring my muffled screams, and some weird dust-like herb was between my lips.

Then everything went black.

* * *

I couldn't open my eyes. I heard Elena and Jamie... a boy I met today talking. I could barely make out anything that they were saying.

Chains bound my wrists against a post. I wasn't strong enough, that herb really did a number on me.

Jamie: A man came by earlier today, he gave me a wooden buckshot and told me if anyone got in our way, I'm supposed to shoot him.

"What else did he say?" I heard Elena ask.

"If Abby didn't find the location of some coffins, I'm supposed to shoot myself."

"What about me? What did he say about me?"

"I'm not supposed to hurt you."

"Are you sure? Because these ropes are so tight, that it is hurting me."

There was sound of a struggle and then a thump. I groaned, a sharp pang in my head. "Louise!" Footsteps marched over to where I was and lightly patted my cheeks, shaking me. "Come on, Louise, wake up." I grunted and opened my eyes. Elena sighed in relief. "Thank God."

Jamie was knocked out on the floor. I straightened up against the post. "Could you untie me?"

"Sure." She moved behind me and undid the rope. "There."

Elena helped me up before rushing over to her boy... _ex_-boyfriend, maybe? I didn't know anymore. Sometimes he'd show some humanity, but then he'd act like there was no one home. I kind of wish he'd just stick to one, because when I saw the light flash in his eyes, the desire to save him rushed back.

"What can I do to help?" Elena asked.

"Everytime I move, the wood shifts inside of me. I can feel it scraping against my heart. You need to get the pieces out."

Elena nodded and took the pieces out. "Louise, Abby kidnapped Bonnie."

"Why would she do that?"

"I think his life was threatened. Look, you need to do a locator spell. I know it's difficult for you, but we have to try. Bonnie's in danger!"

"But I don't..." My gaze drifted towards the house. "Abby's probably with Bonnie. I'll use something of hers."

* * *

I muttered the locator spell in the garden while Elena took the bullets out of Stefan.

Luckily, Abby kept a map. I used her hairbrush to try and get some connection. The end of the hairbrush pointed to the NC3. I marked the position with a pen and grabbed the map.

"Come on, I found them."

* * *

"We're on our way, Bonnie. I did a locator spell."

_"I thought you weren't going to practice magic anymore?"_

"The whole full moon business might have given me a fright, but this is who I am. Maybe I'm taking a huge risk, but I can't not use magic for the rest of my life."

_"Abby didn't want to hurt me. She just wanted to protect Jamie."_

She sounded hurt. "It's alright, Bon. She doesn't deserve you as a daughter. Especially if she's going to choose some kid who isn't hers over you."

_"You're right. I see the car."_

She hung up. I saw her through the front mirror. I shot her a small smile, but she didn't smile back. There were tears in her eyes. Understandable. Having Abby Bennett-Wilson as a mom must really be horrible.

Bonnie got into her car. "You wanna drive?" I asked her.

She shook her head. "No, you can drive. Where's Elena?"

"Stefan drove her home," I told her. I watched her worringly. "Do you want to talk about it?"

A tear slid down her cheek. "No."

* * *

_Dear diary,_

_It's me again. I've written more in this diary in the past few weeks than I have in four years. My life, as usual, is hectic. My best friend's mom chose her adoptive son over her real one. Bonnie was heart-broken and who could blame her? _

_But she promised that she'd help with the coffins to get Bonnie's forgiveness, at least that was something. Abby didn't seem like the smartest person. Who knows about vampires and doesn't force their very-human 'children' to drink vervain? Witch-adoptive-parenting 101 here!_

_Damon and I... we're not as close. Maybe I'm paranoid, but I think he's somehow blaming me for Klaus being nice (or playing games)... which is really horrible of him to do. He says Klaus is interested in me, I say he's bonkers. I'm not gorgeous like Elena, Bonnie or Caroline. I don't look like I've just come out of the salon every damn day and I don't have a supermodel's body._

_And Klaus is... Klaus. He's insane, sociopathic and homicidal. Why would he be interested in me?_

"Hey."

I looked up from my diary and at my sister. "What's up?"

She smiled widely. "I just saw Ric kissing Dr. Fell."

I giggled. "Meredith Fell?" She nodded, excitement etched on her face. "I guess we'll be having a new step-stepmother anytime soon."

Ric was technically our stepfather since he married Isobel... and that was weird.

"Hopefully, it's good to see him happy." She paused for a moment, as if debating something. Finally, she said, "So, what's the deal with you and Damon?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "He's being a jealous dick without any reason _to _be jealous and I'm not going to entertain it."

"Are you breaking up with him?"

I bit my lip. "I don't know."

"You want my opinion on you and him?" I didn't reply, so she continued. "I think he turns you into someone you're not. You have to bend all of your morals just to be with him. I know he loves you and I know you love him, but you've changed. And not for the better."

She shot me a sad smile before shutting the door, leaving me with only my thoughts for company.

* * *

_A/N: Trouble in paradise, huh? Keep those reviews coming! I love to read them and they really make my day!_


	13. Bringing Out the Dead

_Bringing Out the Dead_

"Morning," I chirped.

Ric groaned as he looked through the cabinet. "Thought we had aspirin," he grumbled.

"We do, but you do realise that's the cookware press?" He grinned sheepishly and closed the press door. "It's the cabinet to your left."

He opened the press door and found the aspirin. "Ah-hah!" he exclaimed happily.

"You're hungover," I noted.

"Yeah, sorry about that, it was a bit of a weird night."

"Meredith?" He shot me a confused glance. "Elena told me." He looked guilty. "You have nothing to feel guilty about, Ric. You're moving on, maybe we should all take a leaf from your book." He rose an eyebrow, wanting me to continue. I shook my head, not wanting to. "Anyway, no more guilt, got it? You has much right to invite your lady friends over as Jer did."

He smiled. "Elena already gave me that lecture. And I thank you two for that, but I do feel guilty for whiskey dialing her at two a.m."

My jaw fell as I laughed. "You didn't..."

He nodded. "Oh, yes I did."

"Oh. How'd she take drunk-Alaric?" I asked him with a teasing grin.

"Well, as soon as these aspirin kick in and I remember the conversation, I'll let you know."

I laughed at him. The doorbell rang and I went to answer it. Caroline's mom, Sheriff Forbes, stood on our porch. "Sheriff Forbes, hi. Is everything okay?"

"Is Elena there?"

"Um... yeah. I'll go and get her." I stepped back to the stairs and shouted up, "'Lena! Get your doppelganger ass down here!"

She rushed out of her room, stomped down the stairs and said, "no need to be so rasp about it."

I stuck my tongue out at her and she mock-glared at me. Sheriff Forbes coughed, bring the two of us out of our childish-play-mode. "This is an unconventional conversation we're about to have. So I hope you'll protect me on it."

Ric nodded. "Of course."

"I assume you all heard our medical examiner was murdered the night of the Wickery Bridge fundraiser," she said.

"Yeah. Brian Walters. Why?" Ric asked.

"We've been investigating. Someone drove this stake through his heart."

She took out a very familiar stake. It was one of the weapons from our parents' lake house. "That's one of ours. I mean... this is one of a set from your parents' lake house," Ric explained.

"That's why I'm here," Sheriff Forbes told us. "I haven't told anyone but forensics ran it for prints and found only one clean set." She looked at my sister. "Yours."

"What?"

* * *

"We better put a leash on you," I teased Elena as we walked back into the house.

She rolled her eyes. "Shush, you."

"You better call Damon," Alaric said. I shot him an 'are you freakin' serious look. "Whatever's going on with you two, this is important."

"Why don't you call him?" I asked.

"Because I think you guys need to talk."

"Fine," I gave up. "But I'm putting him on loudspeaker."

I called him. He answered it surprisingly quick. _"Lou! Our first fight... you ready to give in?"_

"We have serious business to attend to, Damon. No snarky comments."

_"Fine. What happened?"_

"Elena's been framed for murder."

_"What?"_

We explained to him what happened. Damon, being Damon Salvatore, couldn't resist throwing in a few sarcastic comments here and there. He was actually quite funny... but I wasn't going to admit that.

_"So Elena's the prime suspect, huh?"_

"She doesn't think that Elena did it. She's just curious as to why someone would use one of our family weapons to kill a council member."

_"Well why don't you just ask Ric if his dirty little doctor had access to the weapons?"_

"You're on speaker phone, dick," Ric snapped.

_"I'm just sayin'... first suspects usually the right one. Don't get so defensive."_

"Brian Walters was killed days ago, alright? I didn't show Meredith this stuff until last night!" Ric protested, defensive of his new lady friend.

"It wasn't Meredith," Elena said.

_"But Brian Walters was her ex-boyfriend and Ric saw them fighting that night."_

"It's not Meredith, alright?" I insisted snappishly. "I refuse to believe Ric's look with the ladies is that tragic."

_"Who else knows about your secret little slayer stash?"_

"Who doesn't?" Ric said. "I've got weapons everywhere. Here, the school, my loft... your car."

_"It's Klaus. It has to be, he's screwing with us."_

"What if it was Stefan?" Elena wondered. "He was crazy that night. And you know he was trying to get underneath Klaus's skin, he was capable of pretty much anything."

_"Ah, make's me nostalgic for the time when Stefan was a bunny snacking pacifist, anyway got to go, you'll know more later."_

"Where are you?" I asked him.

_"Tea with an old friend."_

"Damon Salvatore, don't you dare..." the phone beeped, sounding the end of the call. "...hang up."

* * *

I was afraid that Ric had another tragic girlfriend, as was Elena, so we asked Caroline to suss her out. "That was fast," Elena commented.

"Yeah, he's not here," Caroline said. "He was already discharged. And she seems perfectly nice by the way... a little intense, maybe. But... I think it's sweet, you guys wanna make sure Alaric's not dating a total psycho."

I shrugged. "He's all the family we have left and frankly, our family members have a tendency to, y'know, _die_." Caroline's eyes widened as she pressed the phone to her ear. "What?"

"I hear it."

"Hear what?" Elena asked.

"My dad's phone."

We followed Caroline into a storage room filled with boxes. "Dad! Dad?" I heard Caroline exclaim.

Elena and I joined her in the isle that she was in. Bill Forbes had a knife in his chest, his face was expressionless and he was dead.

"Oh my god."

"Don't be dead, don't be dead, don't be dead! Oh my God!" She pulled the knife out. "Daddy! Louise, you have to do something! Anything!"

I shook my head sadly. "I can't bring back the dead, Caroline. I'm so sorry."

Caroline begun to cry. "No, no, you have to-"

"Caroline..." Elena cut her off. "He has vampire blood in his system."

"_What_?"

As if on cue, Bill Forbes woke up with a loud gasp.

* * *

"Stefan, I can't just leave to go to a dinner party. Caroline's dad is transitioning!"

_"And I'm suppose to care why..."_

"Because you and I both know your humanity is coming back. Slowly, but surely, and Caroline was... _is _your friend. And why do you want me there anyway?"

_"You can smoothen up Klaus. It's a distraction, Louise, so we can open that coffin. Who better than his latest infactuation?"_

I scoffed. "You and Damon must be hallucinating. I'm not Klaus' infatuation, and even if I was, why would I want to be stuck with him _and _Damon for the whole evening? And you... I don't particularly like ripper you."

_"So, trouble in paradise, then? Damon's been in a bit of a mood lately. I suppose I have you to thank for that."_

"Yup. Y'know, this reminds me of the old phone calls we used to have. When you had your humanity."

He didn't reply for quite a while. _"I guess you're not coming then."_

"Uh-huh. And I guess you're going to keep pretending that the switch is still flipped?"

_"Yup."_

"Goodbye, Stefan."

"_Bye."_

* * *

**Klaus' Mansion**

Hours later, Stefan and Damon had arrived for a meal with two Originals - Klaus and Elijah.

"Stefan. Where is the lovely Elena tonight? Or her sister, Louise?" Elijah asked the Salvatore.

Stefan shrugged. "Somebody died. The usual. Maybe Damon would know more... you know, since he's her boyfriend." Damon pursed his lips tightly. "Ah, right. Louise told me all about your little fight."

Damon was shaking with anger. His ripper brother really knew how to test his patience. Klaus laughed. "You've missed so much, brother. Stefan became a ripper and Louise is dating Damon. Though, it seems there's trouble in paradise for the lovebirds."

"One more word about Louise and this dinner's over," Damon snapped.

"You know what, probably best just to keep Louise in the do not discuss pile," Stefan agreed.

"You're probably right," Klaus said.

Damon narrowed his eyes at the hybrid. "Yeah..."

"It's just the allure of the Petrova's, still so strong. Even the non-doppelgangers seem to turn out beautiful." He smirked when Damon growled. "What do you say, brother? Should we tell them about Tatia?"

"Now, why should we discuss matters long since resolved?" Elijah said, clearly wanting to throw his ex-Petrova-girlfriend in that do-not-discuss pile.

"Well, given their respective 'true loves' are Louise and Elena and their shared affection for Katerina, I think our guests might be curious to learn about the originator of the Petrova line," Klaus said, an even bigger smirk playing on his lips.

"Well, we're not going anywhere, Elijah. Please, do tell," Damon urged, taking a sip of his wine. The Original family sure did enjoy the good stuff.

"When our family first settled here, there was a girl named Tatia, she was an exquisite beauty. Every boy of age desired to be her suitor, even though she'd had a child by another man. And none loved her more than Niklaus."

Klaus grinned. "I'd say there was one who loved her at least as much."

Stefan was amused. "Wait a minute, so you both loved the same girl?"

_Petrova's_, Damon thought, _can't get enough of 'em_.

Elijah ignored Stefan and continued. "Our mother was a very powerful witch. She sought to end our feud over Tatia and so she took her. Klaus and I would later learn that it was Tatia's blood that we consumed in the wine on the night where our mother performed the spell which turned us into vampires. Tatia wouldn't make a decision between the two of us, so for a time Niklaus and I... grew estranged. Harsh words were traded, we even came to blows, didn't we, brother?"

"But in the end we realized the sacred bond of family," Klaus said.

"Family above all," the elder Original chimed.

Klaus smiled. "Family above all."

They clinked their glasses.

Damon checked his phone after receiving a text. _Bonnie: I need more time to open the coffin. _He put the phone back into his pocket quickly.

"So, why don't we move this evening along and discuss the terms of this proposal?" Elijah said.

"That's very simple. Klaus gets his coffin back, in exchange, he and the Original extended family leave Mystic Falls forever. Me, Stefan, Louise and Elena live happily ever after. No grudges," Damon concluded.

"The deal sounds fair, brother."

"I don't think you understand," Klaus disagreed. "Elena's doppelgänger blood insures that I will always have more hybrids to fight those that oppose me. I will never leave her behind." He paced the length of his living room. "Let's say I leave her here, under your protection, what then? How long before Stefan turns her into a vampire? Or worse, how long before she dies because of all the supernatural problems you lot seem to get yourselves into? It's delusional, Stefan. You can't protect her. Come to think of it, the two of you can barely manage Louise and her monthly problems."

At first, Damon thought he was talking about her periods... which he really could _not _handle, but then it hit him. "What do you know about that?"

"Enough," he said. "In our day, there was a witch here named Lucrezia, Tatia's beloved cousin. Such amazing power for a witch... every full moon, she felt a power surge. One night, she was particularly powerful and killed half the inhabitants of our village. That was the night she died. And she was only eighteen years old... such a pity."

Louise was eighteen. "How do you stop it?"

"You don't," Klaus told him. "It'll eat away at her. Such power comes with a price. So, you're left with one option: turn her."

"Into a vampire?" Stefan blurted out.

"Glad to see you still care about your best friend," Damon commented, before turning to Klaus. "You're really saying that the only option is to turn her?"

He nodded. "Or let her die."

Damon stood up, overwhelmed. "I'm gonna get some air."

"Let me deal with this," Elijah said, following him.

* * *

**Forbes' House**

I spent the day with Caroline and her dad, comforting her. Bill Forbes had just passed away. He was caught up in the old ways... he didn't want to 'cheat' death. Caroline was heartbroken.

"When does it go away?" Caroline asked me. I looked at her questioningly. "The pain... when you lose someone you love."

"It doesn't," I told her sadly. "It stays with you, but it gets easier."

She sobbed and sat down on her bed. "Why didn't he turn?" she exclaimed. "D-did he hate m-me that much?"

I shook my head. "No, Caroline." I sat down on the bed next to her. "He just had morals. Everyone has morals. One of his was that it's wrong to cheat death, but he loved you. I know he did."

I put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Thank you," she said. "You can go... if you want."

"And leave you here all alone after your dad died?"

"I have Mom," she replied. "I think I'm gonna talk to her."

I nodded. "Alright. I'll call you tomorrow."

She wiped her tear-stained cheeks. "Okay."

* * *

I walked up to the porch and got out my keys. I felt a breeze and shivered. Witches were not immune to the cold, unfortunately. I wondered if vampires were.

Speaking of vampires... "Hey."

I snapped my head of to the swing. Damon was rocking back and forth. "Hi," I replied, watching him warily. "What are you doing here?"

He got up, smirking. "Am I not allowed to come see my girlfriend?"

"Can you stop doing that?" He looked confused. "We have an argument or you do something bad and then you pretend like it never happened!"

"You're still mad."

"I'm not mad, Damon!" I insisted. "I'm frustrated. And I've realised something."

"What?"

"That when I'm with you, all of my morals turn to dust." His face fell and twisted into sadness. "I know you love me, Damon and believe me, I love you more than anything in this world, but I need some time."

His hand caressed my cheek, sending shivers down my spine. "If it matters, I don't think you've changed at all."

"But I have, Damon." I pulled his hand away from my face. "I've grown indifferent to cruelty and death. Maybe I'm growing up... but I need space."

He stepped away from me, as if wounded. "The coffin..." he started. "Whoever was in there walked away before we could meet them."

"Oh no," I said. "Seriously?"

He nodded. "And Klaus told us something today that I think you should know."

The tone of his voice made me tremble slightly with fear. "What?"

"All that power you have on full moons. It's going to kill you."

My knees gave way and I sat on the bench, gripping it tightly. "How do you know this?"

He sat down next me. "Klaus told us about the last witch, Lucrezia, was her name, I think. She was like you, she got her power from the moon or whatever lunar goodness it gives you. But one night, she died because of it. She was eighteen."

I was eighteen... "I'm gonna die," I said. "I'm gonna die. Damon! I'm gonna die!"

"I could give you my blood," he told me. "You'd be a vampire..."

I didn't hear him and kept on muttering, 'I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die' over and over again. I stood up and paced the length of the porch, gripping the hair on the top of my head and pulling at it.

Damon gripped my shoulders and shook me. "Louise, hey. You're gonna be okay. We'll find a way... Bonnie can-"

"No," I snapped. "I can't. This stays between you and me. I don't want anyone else worrying about me." He opened his mouth to object. "_Damon_, promise me! This stays between you and me."

"Stefan knows."

"Then tell him not to tell anyone." He looked doubtful. "Damon, please. If I'm going to die, then I want my last few weeks, or months, however long it is to be filled with happy moments. Well, as happy as things can get around here. Maybe I'll tell Bonnie, but other than that... no one finds out."

Damon sighed loudly and groaned. "Fine. I promise."

* * *

_A/N: Damise break-up :( But don't worry, this isn't the end of Damise!_

_Don't forget to review!_


	14. Dangerous Liaisons

_Dangerous Liasions_

"It was their mother Esther who was sealed in that coffin," Elena told Stefan, Damon and I.

My face, along Stefan and Damon's faces, twisted in confusion. "As in the Original Witch?"

"What? How is she even alive? Thought her hybrid freak show of a son ripped her heart out a thousand years ago," Damon said.

Elena shrugged. "I don't know. I'm guessing she has a couple connections in the witch community. Elijah said that she wants to live in peace with her family, including Klaus."

Stefan looked positively melancholic. "She was supposed to be the weapon to help us kill Klaus."

"Well, not anymore... at least not according to Elijah," Elena said.

"That coffin was the only thing stopping Klaus from tearing us to shreds," Stefan stated, pouting.

"Anyone else feeling a little used right now?"

"Look, Elijah promised me that his family wouldn't hurt any of us." The doorbell rang. "I believe him."

Elena went to open the door. "What is it?" Damon asked her.

I walked over to the doorway. There was a piece of paper and a box. "It's an invitation. 'Please join the Mikaelson Family, this evening at seven o'clock. For dancing, cocktails and celebration.'"

"Who the hell are the Mikaelsons?"

"Mikael... son?" I explained. "Mikael's son... Mikaelson!"

"The Original family," Elena concluded.

"It's not bad enough they're moving into town, now they want a housewarming gift?" Damon asked.

"Wait, there's a note on the back." Elena turned the invitation around. "'Elena and Louise, I think it's time that we finally meet, Esther.'"

"What does she want with me?" I questioned, taking the note from Elena.

"You're some odd kind of witch, Louise. So, like Elena, you have duties to fulfill," Stefan teased, grinning. I was glad we were getting the old him back. Even if it was little by little. "What's in the other box?"

Elena picked it up. "_'To Louise._"

She handed it to me. I brought it onto the kitchen table and opened it. Inside, there was the most beautiful blue ball-gown dress I had ever seen, not that I ever went to a ball. Could this even be classified as a ball?

There was a note on the lid of the box. _'Save me a dance. Fondly, Klaus.'_

I quickly shoved it into my jeans' pocket and shut the lid. Damon was growling. Not that he had any right to be. We broke up, end of.

I told Bonnie in the end and she took away my powers. That way, I couldn't use them accidentally at night or on a full moon. Maybe now I wouldn't have to die.

"Moving on..." I urged.

Elena took the heat off me. "If Esther wants to talk to us, maybe we should find out why," she said.

"Well that's a dumb idea, she already tried to kill you once. This time, she might be going for serial killer status," Damon said.

"No, Elena is right. Bonnie was led to open that coffin for a reason. I think there is more to this than just some family reunion," the former ripper replied.

"Can we go back in time where the old Stefan cared if Elena and Louise lived or died?" Damon asked.

"What for? It's your job now," Stefan answered. "But looks like Louise-"

Knowing that he going to say something about Klaus, I swooped in and said, "Stefan has a point, Damon. We should find out what she wants."

"You guys can't protect yourselves," Damon argued.

"Okay fine, then I'll go."

"You've pissed off enough Originals to last a lifetime. I'll go," he said.

Damon snatched the invitation out of my hand. "Hey!" I protested.

He grinned down at me. "End of story."

* * *

I looked through my closet for anything to wear. Surprisingly, I didn't have a freakin' ball gown. And Elena only had the one. I threw my hands in the air in frustration and plopped down on the bed. The dress Klaus got me was pretty... No. _Nuh-uh, don't even think about it, Louise. _Well, I couldn't show up naked now, could I? I had to wear something and I was already late. Damon wouldn't be very happy... but then again, he didn't own me. _I _owned me.

I sighed heavily and picked up the blue dress. Damn Klaus and his amazing taste.

* * *

I left my hair down and it fell to my waist in an abundance of chocolate brown curls. The dress reached my ankles. I didn't know how to handle a dress. I fell over the end of it about ten times already. Thankfully, it didn't get too dirty.

When I walked into the Mikaelson Manor, a fancy mansion that looked rather aristocratic, I felt two pairs of eyes on me: Damon's and Klaus'. I ignored them both and went to look for Elena. On my way, I bumped into Klaus.

"You look stunning, Louise," he complimented.

"I need a drink," I deadpanned, walking right past him.

Elena was on the other side of the room with Stefan. I made my way over to her, but Damon stood in my way. "Is that the dress Klaus got you?"

I pursed my lips. "Yes, it is."

His expression contorted in anger. "Why the hell did you wear it?"

"I didn't have anything else," I hissed. "Now, can I please get past."

"Save me a dance?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes, but smiled nonetheless. "We'll see."

I burst past him and went over to Elena and Stefan, third time lucky it seemed. "Hey," I said to them.

"Had to strangle your many suitors, huh?" Stefan taunted. I smacked him on the arm. "Ow!"

"You're a vampire, that shouldn't hurt."

He put on a wounded expression and lifted his hand to his heart. "But it hurt me right here."

"Shush you," I said in a fit of laughter. I soon sobered up and turned to my doppelganger twin sister. "Have you talked to Esther yet?"

She shook her head. "No. She wanted to see us both, so I don't think it'd be a good idea to go in without you."

I nodded understandingly. "Right."

"Damon's going to be a problem," Stefan said.

I bit my lip nervously and said the only idea I could come up with. "Maybe you should... um... snap his neck?"

* * *

"If everyone could gather, please."

The crowd edged in together. The Original family were standing on the staircase. It looked like they were all perfectly sculpted or something. There wasn't a hair out of place from Finn to Elijah to... Klaus to the fourth male Original I hadn't gotten the name of yet to Rebekah. It ought to be illegal to look that beautiful.

Elena, who had been talking to Finn, stood beside me again, Damon on my other side. I had a very unfortunate run-in with the eldest Original earlier. He's not very nice... "Welcome, thank you for joining us. You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this, it's tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance," Elijah said.

His voice was... wow. I just mean... _wow._

A woman with short blonde hair descended a few steps of the blue carpeted stairs. "Do you see who I see?" Damon said.

"Oh yeah," Stefan replied.

"Tonight's pick is a centuries-old waltz, so if all of you could please find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom."

"Come on," I said to Elena, moving towards the stairs.

Damon gripped my wrist and pulled me back. "Don't even think about it."

I snatched my wrist back from him. "She wants to see us alone, Damon," I reminded him.

"Well sucks to be her then. Was I not clear this morning?" Damon repeated himself.

"You don't own me, Damon," I spat. "And Elena and I were invited. You weren't."

"You have to tell me before you walk into a lion's den," the raven-haired vampire said.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "So you can stop me?"

"Ugh... _yes_!" Damon exclaimed in a 'duh' tone. He offered me his hand. I noticed Elena had gone with Stefan. "It would be rude not to dance, you know."

I smiled despite myself and took his hand. "It is tradition."

He led me to the ballroom and gripped my waist tightly. "Can I tell you a little secret?" I whispered.

"Mhm," he muttered, twirling me around.

"I can't dance."

"Lucky you have me here, then," he whispered huskily into my ear. As always, that mere voice of his made me shivered and - dare I say it - _aroused_. "Look, about our break-up... I shouldn't have-"

"Damon, stop," I said. "If I'm gonna... you know... I don't want things between us to be bad. I just need time to grasp the fact that I'm... I'm going to..."

He nodded. "I know."

He twirled me around and I bumped into the strong chest that was Klaus'. Time to swap partners then...

"Hello, Louise," he said, grinning.

"Klaus," I replied briskly.

He was quite the dancer... better than me anyway, but that wasn't too difficult. "I'm glad you came," he stated. "Has Damon told you..."

I nodded. "Yes. He did, but no one else except for you guys and Bonnie know."

"I'm sorry-"

I shook my head. "Don't. I don't want pity."

"Very well. On to more mannered subjects then, like how ravishing you look in that dress." Klaus smirked.

"I don't exactly have an array of dresses at my disposal," I replied.

"And the bracelet I gave you, what's your excuse for wearing that?"

I looked down at the bracelet on my wrist. I don't know why I wore it... I just... _did_. It looked pretty, anyway. Klaus certainly had style for an old man.

"Shut up," I grumbled, it came out kind of playfully. Damon was glaring at us from behind the shoulder of Mrs. Lockwood.

He chuckled. "I've noticed you're not as friendly with Damon Salvatore."

I knew Damon was listening and I'd bet a couple hundred dollars that Klaus did too. "We broke up." I ignored the joy etched on the hybrid's face. Did he gain pleasure from people's misfortunes? "Wipe that smirk off your face, Mr. Mikaelson."

He leaned into my ear and whispered flirtatiously, "Or you'll what?"

I stepped away from him, a smirk of my own plastered on my face. "Or I'll wipe it off for you."

Stefan and Elena entered the ballroom. I wasn't aware they left. Elena gestured for me to leave and I did.

"Finn asked me to come alone," she said. "I just need your blood."

I nodded and walked into the kitchen. There was a knife on one of the table. Elena handed me a phial. I sliced my hand and the blood dripped into it.

I gave it to her. "There. Why does she need my blood?"

"I'll ask her." She shifted awkwardly. "You just need to... uh... distract Klaus."

"Wait, what? How am I suppose to do that?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Use that charm of yours."

With that, she left. "What charm?" I called after her.

* * *

Honestly, I didn't know what the hell everyone was talking about. I stared at the white horse in the front garden of the Mikaelson Manor. I loved horses. When I was younger, my dad signed me up for horse-riding lessons. He encouraged my tomboyish behaviour, Mom wanted me to become the perfect Founders' daughter. She loved me, though, and I loved her more than anything.

I called my old horse Bobble. A totally lame name... but I was seven and it was a week after Christmas. I quit horse-riding after my parents died, along with soccer and athletics. I used to be quite the hurdler. Maybe this will all blow over before the end of senior year and I could have my old life back.

"You like horses?"

I snapped my head over to the source. "What's up with this? The dress... the bracelet?" I jiggled the gold, diamond bracelet. "I told you before, Klaus, I don't like games."

"I fancy you." My jaw dropped. "Is that so hard to believe?"

"Yes!" I exclaimed.

"Why? You're beautiful, strong, intelligent... brave. Not many people would take their impending death as well as you have."

"You terrorise the people I love... and-and you just expect me to believe that you 'fancy' me?" I scoffed. "Wow, you must really think I'm stupid."

He grabbed my wrist as I stepped away. What was up with people and my wrist? "What would you say if I told you that what I said... was the truth?"

I snatched my wrist away from him and folded my arms. "I'd say you suffer from multiple personalities disorder."

He grinned a boyish grin that made me want to punch his face in. "Planning to become a psychologist?"

I groaned. "Why does everyone think that? _No_! A doctor! I want to be a doctor." Klaus laughed. He was laughing at me... he was actually laughing at me. "Hey, hey! Stop laughing!"

He tightened his lips. "Alright, alright. I'll stop." I smiled. "You know you're even more beautiful when you smile."

I laughed and backed away from him. "A little cliché, don't you think? 'You're even more beautiful when you smile,'" I said in my best British accent. "Get that off the back of a tin can?"

"I thought it was quite _original,_" he said with a grin.

I shook my head, amused. "I'll be inside."

The hall was still full with merriment as people danced. Elena walked down the stairs, gripping the railings as she did. She looked relieved when she saw me. "Louise. Esther... she wants to talk to you."

"I thought that she only wanted to speak with you?"

She shook her head, her brown hair flipped behind her shoulders. "I don't know... but she seemed pretty adamant that you go to her."

I nodded. "I'll go."

Turns out, Klaus was quite the interior designer. His house looked superb. Every inch of it was lavishly designed. Even the hallways made me feel like I was Cinderella!

The eldest brother, Finn, stood outside of a room. I guessed that his mother was inside. "Mother wishes to see you."

He sounded like he was from the early middle ages. I snorted. "You sound like you were stuck in a box for the last three hundred years."

"Nine hundred, actually."

Oh, right. Klaus kept his family in coffins. How could I forget that? Insensitive, insensitive, _insensitive_! "I'm sorry, I-"

"It's quite alright," he assured, opening the doors for me. "It's an easy mistake to make."

"Right." I nodded to him as I entered the room. It smelled, eh, interesting. A woman - Esther - was preforming a spell. "Uh, hi?"

She stopped chanting and looked up. She smiled creepily. "You must be Louise. I've been watching you."

"What's the smelly thing?" I asked her.

"It's sage," she told me. "It prevents my children from hearing us, as I'm sure at least one of them are listening."

"What do you want to talk about?"

"You," she replied simply. I urged her to continue. "You're kind have had many names. The Spanish call them luna bruja, the people of my village called them 'Ladies of the Moon.' Some of us call you lunar witches, or the Morte de la Lune."

My French wasn't amazing, but I had taken enough classes to know what that meant. "Death of the moon," I muttered.

"It does not end well for people like you," Esther said. "One person was not meant to hold that much power. at one time It will kill you."

"Bonnie took my magic away," I said. "That'll slow the process down, won't it?"

She shook her head. "It will manifest itself somehow. Magic like that cannot be controlled."

"Then what can I do?"

"Nothing. It will take you as it has taken many of your kind before you. It is a tragic fate and I do pity you. It must be horrible to see your life come to a close at such a young age..."

"Help me!" I begged. "There has to be a way! I bet you didn't just call me up here to give me your pity."

"Perhaps I did." I gaped a little, but covered it up quickly. "The girl of my village, Lucrezia, she was a cousin to a girl named Tatia."

I shrugged my shoulders. What did that have to do with me and my impending death? "So?"

"Tatia was a doppelganger."

"So, am I..."

"A doppelganger?" I nodded. "No. You look nothing like her, but both of your blood is a powerful binding agent. When combined with the doppelgangers', it is perhaps the strongest binding agent in the world. That is why nature found a way to keep you both together."

"So, Elena and I are like destined to be reincarnated as relatives for eternity?"

"Not reincarnations. Your blood is all that is similar to the former witches of your kind."

I took a deep breath. "Have there been many of us?"

"A handful, I believe. You're the only one in existence as of late."

"Has there ever been two?" I asked the elder witch.

She shook her head. "Never."

* * *

"How was your talk with Esther?" Elena asked. Beside her stood Elijah.

"She's very... blunt?" It came out like a question. I didn't know what to make of the Original witch.

"What did she say about your, uh..." Her voice turned into a whisper. "...monthly problems?"

_'Monthly problems.' _I laughed, but shut my mouth when Elena shot me a glare. "She didn't know anything," I lied. "Except about this girl in her village, here, actually."

"What happened to her?"

I was flustered, trying to think of something to say. "She... uh... left."

Elijah shot me a look and I non-verbally told him to shut up. "So you'll be okay?" she exclaimed happily. I nodded, guilt racing through me. Elena wrapped her arms around me. "I knew it!"

"Good Evening, Ladies and Gentleman." We broke apart when we heard Esther's voice and listened to her. "Waiters are coming around with champagne. I invite you all to join me in raising a glass. It provides me with no greater joy then to see my family back together as one. I'd like to thank you all for being part of this spectacular evening. Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

Everyone drank their champagne. Elijah, who was now standing next to Elena, clinked his glass to hers and said, "Cheers."

As I drank the champagne, I got a vision. All five of the Originals were drinking their wine: Finn, Elijah, Klaus, Kol and Rebekah. I saw Finn at a sacrificial alter. Never before had I a lightbulb moment quite like this one.

Esther didn't just want to kill Klaus, she wanted to kill all of them.

Said hybrid swaggered over to where I stood. "I'd like to show you something, if you'd let me?"

I shrugged. "I have nothing better to do."

* * *

"So what did you want to show me?" I questioned Klaus as he led me into a room full of paintings.

"One of my passions," Klaus replied.

The paintings were amazing. I never painted or drew, but I could admire. "Oh, impressive. I take it the curators at the Louvre aren't on vervain?"

Klaus chuckled. "Yeah, well that's their mistake."

"What about these?" I jiggled the bracelet. "Where'd you steal this from?"

"Well, that's a long story. But rest assured it was worn by a princess almost as beautiful as you."

I rolled my eyes and smiled. Klaus actually looked... embarrassed. Was that even possible?

I looked down onto the table and noticed a notepad and some loose sketches. "Wait, did you do these?" I asked, amazed.

He rubbed the nape of his neck nervously. "Yeah, um... actually one of my landscapes is hanging at the Hermitage, not that anyone would notice. Have you been?"

I shrugged. "I've never really been anywhere out of America."

"I'll take you," Klaus stated. "Wherever you want Rome... Paris. Tokyo?

I laughed, as did Klaus. He looked human when he smiled. Someone who had done so many bad things... I didn't think it was possible. And he had dimples... were bad guys even _allowed _to have dimples?

"I never pegged you as someone who drew," I said, looking at his marvelous sketches.

"Art, drawing and painting are sheer force of will," he replied. "A metaphor for control, if you like."

"Control freak, much?" I teased with a smirk.

He grinned. "Aren't we all? All humans, vampires, witches and werewolves want to be in control. Those who say they are not are only kidding themselves."

I suppose he was right. Who didn't want to be in control of something? Some of us want power or the ability to shape our future without the unfortunate interference that was destiny. But his methods to be in control were extremely tragic. Maybe it was because his father abused him, that he hated being defenseless. Mikael was a monster for abusing him and as if it was a cycle, Klaus turned into a monster after him.

"Is that why you make hybrids?" I asked. "To be in control of their lives?"

"You're making assumptions," Klaus accused.

"I've always hated compulsion unless it's necessary and there's no way to avoid it, but the sire bond is just... atrocious. They deserve their freedom, and you've taken it from them."

Klaus was getting angry, but for some reason, I wasn't afraid. "You know, this has been a fun evening, but I think it's time for you to leave."

"I get it. Your father never loved you, so you assume no one else will. That's why you compel people or you sire them or you try to buy them off." I took off my bracelet and tossed it onto the table. "But no, that's not how it works. You don't connect with people because you don't even _attempt _to understand them."

I stormed out of the room and back into the 'ball.' I was confronted by an angry Salvatore brother. "Did you get what you want?" he asked.

I was still a little shaken up from the talk with Klaus. I shook my head and forced myself back to reality. "Yes."

"Good, tell me on the ride home. We're leaving. Come on."

Damon gripped my upper arm. I twisted and tried to pry him off of me. "No, Damon let go of me. Look, I'm sorry that we had to cut you out of the plan."

"There shouldn't have been a plan. You shouldn't be here," Damon said.

"Do you think I like going behind your back? I don't. But if I hadn't asked Stefan to help, then you would've tried to be the hero, and it would've ruined everything."

"Sorry for trying to keep you alive. Clearly Stefan doesn't give a crap anymore," Damon spat.

"You're mad at me for including Stefan?"

"No, I'm mad at you because I love you!" he exclaimed.

I flinched back, a little shocked. I heard him say that before... but I thought he didn't anymore or he didn't mean it when he said it. I replied quickly, "Well, maybe that's the problem." I regretted it as soon as I saw the hurt etched on his face. "No. That not what I-"

"No, I get it Louise. I care too much, I'm a liability. How ironic is that?" he snapped.

Elena couldn't have come up to us at a worse time. "Have you guys seen Matt?"

* * *

Damon, after our talk, decided to lash out. He threw Kol, an _Original, _over the balcony and snapped his neck.

"Damon! Are you crazy?" Stefan yelled.

The rest of the family rushed out of the manor, as did Elena and I. He looked at me as he responded, "Maybe a little. Far be it for me to cause a problem."

Stefan and Elena shot me sympathetic looks as he walked away.

* * *

"Damon, I'm sorry about what I said. I didn't... I didn't mean it. I still care about you. I'm... I don't know. Just please call me back."

I hung up and walked into my bedroom. On the bed, there was a drawing of me and a horse. It was beautiful, but I didn't like being bought.

I scoffed. "Seriously?"

Picking it up gently, I noticed that there was writing on the back. _'Thank you for your honesty, Klaus.'_

Was it wrong that my heart skipped a beat when I read it?

* * *

_A/N: Am I writing anyone out of character do you think?  
_  
_And I'd love it if you'd tell me what you'd like to see in later chapters, especially season four. I'm usually a few chapters ahead of what I post so that if I don't like it, I can change it._

_Reviews? Klouise or Damise?_


	15. All My Children

_All My Children_

The light shun through the curtains. I groaned. Yesterday had been... interesting, to say the least. First, the revelation that there was no way to 'fix me', then that all of the Originals had to die, thirdly that Klaus 'fancied' me (I was still curious as to what his definition of that word was) and last but not least, Damon _stupidly _threw a thousand year old Original Vampire over a balcony and broke his neck.

I reached over to the other side of my bed, getting my phone. I dialed Damon's number, hoping that this time he'd actually answer me. I was worried about him. What if he lashed out last night? It was difficult having the power to accidently throw a vampire over the edge, like he had - _literally _- with Kol.

But seriously, I didn't have time for this. I was dying for God's sake. I didn't know how much time I had left. That scared me.

_"What?" _Damon said after - _finally _- answering his phone.

"Damon! I called you like ten times last night. We need to talk."

_"Sorry, I've been busy."_

I sighed in frustration. "If you're mad at me, I'm gonna ask you kindly to get over it."

_"Oh, I'm over it."_

He hung up. Damon was over it? That was very un-Damonlike to say the least. I decided to go over to the Salvatore Boarding house. I put on a pair of denim jeans, a blue tank top and sneakers before heading to his house.

Just when I was about to knock, Damon opened the door, Rebekah standing beside him. She shot me a smirk before swaggering off, looking very happy with herself.

Anger and jealousy boiled inside of me. _Rebekah_? "Did you stop taking vervain or something?" I questioned, crossing my arms.

"You think Rebekah had to compel me?" Damon asked, going inside.

I stomped after him. "What's wrong with you? She's an _Original_! And it barely two weeks ago when you were jealous of Klaus! Last time I checked, I didn't sleep with him!"

He groaned. "Can we just move pass that, Louise? We're not together anymore. I don't care."

For some reason, that made me angry. Isn't that what I wanted? For him to 'not care'? It looked like it wasn't. Maybe I liked his protectiveness-bordering-on-possessiveness.

"So this is what it's like now, huh, Damon?" I asked, clenching my fists. "I say something stupid and hurt your feelings and this is how you lash out at me? By sleeping with _her_."

Damon poured himself a glass of scotch. "Well, maybe, for once, something I did had nothing to do with you or your sister."

I tried to restrain myself. All this anger wasn't good for my health. "You should know that Esther is planning on killing her entire family. She's linked them all together with a spell. Whatever happens to one, happens to all of them."

"Well, that's great!" Damon exclaimed cheerfully. "Klaus will finally be dead. We win! Why do you look like someone just shot a panda bear? Don't tell me you have _feelings _for Klaus?"

He sounded jealous. "Hey, you just slept with _Rebekah_, all that I've done with Klaus is be the recipient of his weird flirting. You have no right to be jealous."

"So it's true, huh?" His perfectly sculpted features twisted in anger.

"No, I don't have _any_ 'feelings' for Klaus," I lied. _No, no, no_! I didn't lie, I do _not _have any feelings for Klaus. End of. "The reason I look like somebody just 'shot a panda bear' is because to kill Klaus, the rest of the Originals die. Like Elijah, who's a good person. He doesn't deserve to die!"

Damon scoffed. "I'm supposed to care about Elijah?"

"Shouldn't you at least care about your new bed pal?" I said, gesturing to the door the blonde Original had left through.

"Two seconds ago, you were pissed that I slept with her. You get your ex-lover vengeance, I get mine. It's a win-win!" I rolled my eyes and made to leave. Damon blocked my way. "Don't do anything to screw this up, Louise."

"Why are you doing this?"

Just as Damon was about to answer, Stefan walked into the living room. "He's right, you know. Klaus has to die. They all do."

"See? It's democracy in action," Damon said.

I looked between them, begging either of the two brothers to back me up. Neither of them did. I bumped into Damon on my way out, forcing him to spill his drink.

I snorted. At least something good happened on this visit.

* * *

Bonnie was burning sage, like Esther had done, while I ranted about Damon. "He was gloating. Like he was proud of himself for getting into her pants. Then he had the nerve to accuse me of having feelings for Klaus!"

"Do you?" Elena asked.

I gaped at her. "No!" I exclaimed in a 'you shouldn't even be asking me this' tone. "Of course not. We're trying to kill him here! And I'm _not _interfering!"

Elena shrugged. "I suppose. Is it working?" she questioned the vampire waiting outside the room.

Caroline entered and shook her head. "it's not working. I can hear every word you're saying about Damon, the vampire gigolo and Klaus, your ill-fated Romeo."

I gritted my teeth. "He's not my-"

"I don't know," Bonnie interrupted, sending us both a 'don't start' look. "It's a tricky spell."

"When Esther did it, she kept the sage burning. There was a lot more smoke," Elena told her.

"And it smelled worse," I stated, my nose scrunching at the memory of that horrific smell.

Bonnie raised an eyebrow and I shook my head. "Alright," Bonnie said. She relit the sage. "Try it again." Caroline scoffed and left the room in a diva-like tantrum. "Speaking of Esther, you should know that she came to see me and Abby this morning."

"And all this time you let me vent about Damon?" I exclaimed.

She shrugged. "I don't want you to worry."

"Right, well. What did the prolicidal witch want?" I asked her.

"She wanted to introduce herself," Bonnie replied. "Abby and I helped bring her back. She's channeling our entire ancestral bloodline for power. I think she thought she was being polite."

I scoffed. "How kind of her. Is there a way to stop her from channeling your line?"

She shook her head. "Even if there was, why would I want that?"

"I just feel bad," I answered honestly. "I know Klaus has done so much bad and I won't be shedding tears when he dies, believe me." That was half-lie, I wouldn't shed tears, but I... there was a part of me that didn't want to kill him, but I knew it was for the best. "But Elijah... he found a way to save Elena before the sacrifice and how to we repay him? By signing his death sentence. It doesn't feel right."

Elena, who had stayed quiet, spoke up, "I agree. Elijah tried his hardest to save me and now we've sentenced a moral man to die."

Caroline burst into the room. "Okay. First of all, this privacy spell is totally not working. Second, Elena, Lou-Lou-" _Lou-Lou_? I hadn't been called that since I was a kid! "-you guys are not doing this, Esther is doing this."

"There's no time to change your mind. He'll be dead by the end of the night," Bonnie added.

"What?" Elena breathed. I was shocked too... tonight? How were we suppose to save him by tonight?

"It's a full moon. Esther needs to harness the energy of a celestial event. She asked me and Abby to join her."

Silence followed Bonnie's statement. Full moon... of course, I had it marked on my calender, but it still sucked to hear it. And I deal with the guilt of killing a perfectly kind and moral Original? Great...

There was a knock on the door. "I'll get it," Elena said before leaving.

"I'm hungry for some human grub. Mind if I raid your kitchen?" Caroline asked.

I laughed. "Go ahead."

She smiled and skipped out of my room happily. Once she was gone, Bonnie spoke again. "You look nervous."

I wiped sweat off my forehead. Sweat I didn't know I was there. Since when did I nervous sweat? "Do I?" I asked shakily, letting out a small laugh. "Because I'm perfectly fine."

"I'm going to find some way to save you," Bonnie stated. "There has to be something... some way I can slow down the process."

I shook my head. "Don't worry, Bonnie. I think... I think I might become a vampire."

Her jaw dropped. "Wait, what?"

"I don't want to become one, but if I have to, I have to," I said, shrugging. "I'm going to live as a human as long as I can, but if a witch as powerful and old as Esther doesn't know how to save me, chances are, Bon, you won't either."

"I'm not going to let you become a vampire!" Bonnie exclaimed. "You... you can't. You just can't!"

"Bonnie, I want to live. The only way I can do thatis to become a vampire," I said. "You think I want to become one of them? No. But it's either vampirism or death, so I choose vampirism."

"I'm still going to look for a way to save you, so don't become one to hastily," she replied. Bonnie smiled reassuringly at me. "But I won't judge you. I know you'll be good... as good as a vampire can get."

I nodded. "I'll try." I got a text from Elena. _Gone to the woods. I'll be back soon. _"She's gone into the woods."

Bonnie frowned. "With who?"

I shrugged. "I dunno. She didn't say."

Caroline came back into the room, three packets of crisps in her hands. Two were closed and one was opened. She was stuffed the crisps into her mouth like there was no tomorrow. "Crisps?"

* * *

"Hey, where's Elena?" Ric asked me as I entered the kitchen.

"Gone into the woods," I replied. He shot me a questioning glance. "I don't know, maybe she's turned into a nymph? I'm not her bodyguard, Ric."

He sighed exasperatedly and frowned. "It's difficult being a guardian to twin sisters."

I smirked at him. "Quit feeling sorry for yourself. We're great." He brightened up and laughed a little.

"So, what's up with you and Damon?"

Suddenly things turned sour. I leant back on the counter, gripping it for dear life. If I let go, I might have punched something... or some_one_. And I didn't want to hurt Ric. "He's been an idiot lately."

"Oh?" Ric pressed.

"He's jealous... of _Klaus_!" I exclaimed. "And he's a hypocrite, really. Since he had sex with Rebekah."

My beloved alcohol guardian spat out his coffee. "_Rebekah_?"

I nodded. "Uh-huh. Blonde, Original Vampire, complete psychopath."

"Wow," Ric said, shocked that his best buddy had slept with an Original. "Did he stop taking vervain?"

I jumped up happily and pointed to him. "See? I knew I wasn't the only one who thought that!"

* * *

I hadn't had a Ric-day in a while. That day, he introduced me to Meredith, his perfectly sane, kind and pretty... girfriend? Were they even in a relationship?

We used to do it all the time before Jenna died. Whenever my bubbly aunt went to the bathroom, we'd talk vampires and werewolves and the possibility of the existence of ninja turtles. He voted yes, I voted no.

Kol and Klaus were sitting at the bar. I noticed the 'subtle' glances Klaus would give me every now and then. I ignored them as best as I could, but sometimes I felt my cheeks go red. I didn't _blush_. Blushing was for insecure girls with nothing to live for but boy drama. I wasn't that type of girl, so why the hell was I blushing?

Meredith noticed my rose tinged cheeks and winked at me knowingly. Ric was talking to Damon on the phone for the second time this evening.

"Yeah, no, they're still here. Yeah, they've drank their way through half the grill's liquor supply... So, what's the plan?... We'll need a distraction... I'm sure she'll be more than willing... You think I _want _Louise to be the bait?... _Bye, _Damon."

The vampire hunter nodded to me and I nodded back. I started walking over to Klaus, pretending to ignore him. Kol pointed at me as I approached them. I think he knew I could hear. "I remember her from last night. She looks like a tasty little thing."

_I'm not food, dick_. "Say another word and I'll tear out your liver." It kind of made me happy that he was standing up for my right to not be treated as food. "Louise!" I turned to look at him. "Join us for a drink?"

"I think I'd rather gouge my eyes out with a spoon, but thanks for the offer." I spun on my heel and walked out of the Grill and onto the street.

"Louise!" the hybrid called, following me. Ignored him. "Louise!"

I turned around when I heard a car's horn beep. Klaus had almost got ran over by a car, that amused me a little. "Car... road! Road safety here!" I exclaimed quickly.

Klaus grinned. "You're lecturing me on road safety? It seems you do care about me."

"No," I said sternly. "I only care about the poor human driver who bumps into you and then realises that you're unmaimed, and then you kill him. All because Original Hybrid couldn't take a hint."

His grin fell. "Don't be angry, love. We had a little spat. I'm over it already."

"Maybe I'm not," I said, shrugging.

"How can I acquit myself?" the hybrid asked.

"Eh... let me think," I said, tapping my chin with my index finger in mock-thought. "Bring my aunt Jenna back... Hm... Oh! Go back in time and prevent Stefan from becoming a ripper! That'd be great!"

Klaus sighed, but his face was quickly covered with a Klaus-grin. "Oh, come on, take a chance, Louise." He sat down on a bench and stretched his arm out. "Talk to me. Come on, get to know me. I dare you."

Far be it from me to back down from a dare. "Fine." I rolled my eyes and sat down next to him. "What d'you wanna talk about?"

"I want to talk about you. Your hopes, your dreams, everything you want in life," Klaus explained.

"Just to be clear," I said with a smirk of my own. "I'm too smart to be seduced by you."

Klaus matched my smirk. "Well, that's why I like you. So, what do you plan to do with your life?"

Uh... did he forget the part that was going to die? Maybe he assumed I was going to become a vampire, like Damon did. "I'll be dead within the next few months." Klaus looked shocked. "As a vampire."

"So you've decided to turn?" He seemed happy.

I nodded. "Better half-dead then dead."

"You're right. What do you plan to do with your immortality?" Klaus asked.

I shrugged. "Get a PHD in pre-med, that's as far as I have figured out."

"You could do much greater things than become a doctor, Louise," he told me. "You could travel the world. There are sites to see and people to meet. You'll have it all at your fingertips."

I smiled at him. When he put it like that... vampirism didn't sound all that bad. Sure, I'd be stuck as an eighteen year old for eternity. I'd never have children and I'd have to feed on innocent blood. That was the downside, but there were so many up-sides.

Suddenly, Klaus stood up and placed his hand on his heart, gasping in pain. I got up as well. "What is it?"

The dagger... "What did you do?" Klaus growled.

"Nothing," I insisted.

He gripped my arms roughly. "What did you do?" he yelled, even angrier.

"_Nothing_," I spat. "Let go of me!"

He released me from his grip. "Kol!"

The hybrid ran into the Grill. I moved to follow him, taking a few steps, but then I felt a sharp pang in my stomach. It felt like I was being eaten alive. My brain was throbbing and blood dripped from my nose down to my chin and onto my top.

I fell onto the bench. It was like my magic was trying to claw it's way out. "Louise!" Caroline was rushing towards me. "Oh my God!" She picked me up, bridal style and carried me to her car. She put me in the front. "What happened?"

As she wrapped a red blanket around me, I responded, "It's a full moon, Caroline. Bonnie did a spell to take away my magic, now it's trying to come back."

Caroline got into the car quickly, putting her seat belt on in record time. "I never thought it'd be this bad." She bit into her wrist and offered me her blood. "Here, it might help."

I drank the blood from her wrist immediately. "Thanks."

"Your welcome." She started to drive. "So, when did it start getting like this?"

It was raining outside and I knew I caused it somehow. The rain was heavier and turned to hail, then to snow and then back to rain. "A couple of months ago. Before, I was only stronger on full moons. Klaus told Damon of some-some-" I sneezed and Caroline handed me a tissue. "Thanks." I blew my nose before continuing with the story. "There was a girl who was like me and she... she died."

Caroline nearly crashing into a post, but caught herself just in time. "_What_? No, no! You can't die!"

"It's going to happen, Caroline. Bonnie's tried finding a way, but even Esther doesn't know how to 'fix' me," I said. "I'm going to become a vampire."

She almost crashed again. "You're gonna _what_?"

"It's no big deal," I assured her. "I won't be dead. It'll be good." I was trying to convince myself more than her. "And I can live forever. Maybe it's not the worst thing."

"Maybe..." Caroline said, trailing off. "Does Elena know?"

I shook my head. "Not yet."

"You have to tell her!"

"I know."

There was a pregnant silence for a while. She pulled over in the driveway of my house. I was too weak to walk, so the vampire carried me into my room. "Elena will be okay. She'll be home soon. With Damon and Stefan and we'll have five dead Originals. Everything will be right and dandy."

She pulled the covers over my body and tucked me in. Caroline would make a great mother, I realised. Too bad she'd never have the chance. "Do you need anything?" Caroline asked.

"No," I said. "Just... stay with me. I'm... I'm scared."

I didn't like admitting to that. It made me sound weak. I wasn't weak, was I?

She nodded sympathetically. "I'll stay."

* * *

**Mystic Grill Alleyway**

Stefan awoke to the two Originals talking with his brother. "You may not care about Elena, but you do care about Louise," Elijah said to him.

The younger Salvatore stood up. "You have Louise?" Damon asked.

He shook his head. "If my mother plans to kill us, she must draw power from an even more powerful source than even an entire bloodline. On a full moon, the luna bruja's powers are magnified. If my mother channels the moon, the luna bruja and the Bennett bloodline, she'll have no problem killing us."

"Esther's channeling Louise," Damon realised breathlessly.

"It will kill her," Elijah said. Stefan noticed the anger in Klaus' eyes. "If my mother wishes to succeed she will have to drain all life out of Louise. As she did with Lucrezia."

Stefan's features scrunched in confusion. "Wait a sec, you said that this Lucrezia died because her powers became too much. Now you're saying it's because of Esther?"

"It was both," Klaus spoke up. "My mother, despite being a heartless bitch, didn't want to kill anyone at that time. She sensed Lucrezia's powers were becoming too much for her and simply shortened her lifespan, as she will do with Louise if we don't hurry up."

Damon was pensieve, before saying, "I know where they are."

* * *

**Gilbert House**

"Gahh!" I screamed, rocking the house _literally_. I shot up and clutched my stomach. Caroline dabbed a wet towel on my head. "Caroline, make it stop! Please make it stop!"

"I can't," Caroline said softly, her tone tinged in sadness and pity. "I'm so sorry."

I roared again. The wardrobe fell to the floor with a _thump_. The lamp on the other side my bed blew up, sending sparks flying around it.

"Louise, I know it's hard, but you need to calm down," Caroline urged. "Come on, anything. Deep breaths... Think of... think of Jeremy!"

The winds calmed down as I thought of my little brother. His smile, his bat... our life before our parents died. We had the perfect life. Our parents spoiled us, not too much though. My horse, Bobble... horse-riding sessions with Tim. When we went out to the lake house and Elena and I snuck out to go skinny-dipping in the dark. Mom found us and, instead of grounding us for being so silly, she laughed, but told us to 'get the hell inside before you freeze to death.' That was the summer before my parents died. A couple years before that, Dad taught us how to fish.

Who would have guessed that this would be how our lives turned out to be like?

The pain started again in my stomach and my head. It felt like I was about to implode.

* * *

**Witch House**

Damon force-fed his blood into Abby's mouth. "This will only hurt for a second." And then he snapped her neck, turning her into a vampire to save the girl he loved.

* * *

**Gilbert House**

A weight was lifted off of me. I felt fine... I felt fine! Caroline smiled at me, about to speak. Her phone rang. "It's Bonnie. I have to take it."

I got up and tidied up my room. I really could do with a maid or something. Or a professional fixer-upper guy.

Caroline ran back into the room, breathing heavily. "Bonnie's mom is a vampire!"

My stomach fell to the floor. "What? Explain."

Turns out, it was all because of me.

* * *

After a long, hot shower, I went back into my room, only a towel covering my body.

There was a letter on my bed. _If this is from Klaus... _I picked it up gingerly and read the neat, elegant handwriting.

_"Louise,_

_Today I did things I abhor to protect the one thing I value most. My family. If anyone can understand that, it's you. I used your life as a tool to bargain with, and for that I am truly sorry. Your compassion is a gift, Louise. Carry it with you. As I will carry my regret. _

_Always and forever, Elijah."_

* * *

_A/N: Thank you so, so much to everyone who reviewed! I love you!_

_I noticed a lot of you guys ship Klouise. I absolutely love writing them. I'm trying to keep the dynamic with them different to the Klaroline relationship. And I have big plans for them in Season Four!_

_Can you guys answer a few questions for me about the story? It'd mean a lot! Sorry about the amount!_

_1. What's your favourite friendship? Stefan/Louise, Caroline/Louise, Bonnie/Louise or a different friendship?_

_2. Do you like the relationship between Alaric and Louise? _

_3. Would you like to read some flashbacks about Season One and Two? They'd be in the fourth season and would contain some Damise and Jenna/Louise aunt/niece bonding._

_4. Would you like to see a Tyler/Louise past relationship? What'd you like to see in it?_

_5. Vampire!Louise, anyone? Or do you prefer her as a human?_

_6. Do you like the luna bruja storyline? I just wanted to give Louise a plot instead of writing her as just a girl in a love triangle. That's also why I had her break up with Damon, to show that she can be independent and strong on her own. _

_7. Do you like Louise's character? What is your take on her personality?_

_8. Last but not least, (I know I ask this like every chapter), Klouise or Damise?_

_I love to hear your suggestions and your reviews just warm my heart like hot chocolate!_


	16. 1912

_1912_

"Hey, Bonnie. I know you're probably mad at me right now and I completely understand that. Just know that I'm sorry and I love you."

I put my phone into bag and slid down my goggles. I did my stretches before going to the edge of the pool, ready to dive.

I did a couple of laps, getting all my frustration and anger out with the swim. Swimming had always been healing for me. After my parents died, I used to go to the community pool every morning for a swim. It was like the water had special healing properties or something, I felt so relaxed when I swam.

My phone rang inside my green duffel bag. I learned to never ignore a call when there were supernaturals running about. I lifted myself out of the swimming pool. Surprisingly, all that getting in and out gave me some arm muscle.

I wiped my hands and my arms before answering the phone. Elena's voice was actually kind of whiny. _"Louise! Sheriff Forbes arrested Ric. He's down at the station. They think he's the serial killer."_

"Ric?" I blurted out in disbelief. "As in our Ric?"

_"Yeah. Get to the station as quick as you can."_

* * *

I rushed into the station, looking for anyone familiar. Damon - the one familiar person I wouldn't mind not seeing - approached me. His face didn't look cocky and he was smirking... which was a little worrying. "Were you just...?" I asked.

"Ric's fine," Damon assured me. "Sheriff wants me to stay out of it."

I looked at him hopefully. "But you're not going to, are you?"

Damon shrugged. "Seems just as good a plan as any."

I gaped, shocked. "Your friend's in jail for murder! You have to do something, Damon!"

"Well, I guess I could rip out Dr. False Accusation's throat. Maybe her tongue. You know, I could chew it up into little tiny pieces and feed it to the squirrels," Damon suggested.

"Stop it, Damon!" I urged.

"Guess me staying out of it suddenly sounds like a good idea, doesn't it?" He smirked. "I saved your life and Elena's last night. You're welcome."

"Thank you," I said. "But you could show a little compassion about Bonnie and Abby."

Damon nodded, but it seemed like he was mocking me. "I know, you're right, her and her mom must be really hurting right now. Should I send lasagna?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Quit it, Damon. You're acting like a jerk."

"I'm a jerk, you hate me, the Earth is back on its axis," he said.

I scoffed and spun around. Was he trying to drive me away? Did I really hurt him that bad? I turned back around and said to him, "You know, if you keep pushing people away, you're gonna end up on your own."

* * *

_Maybe I need anger management classes_, I thought as I punched the sturdy punching bag. I didn't know what to think anymore. Did Damon even care about me after what I said? Or did he hate me?

And then there was Klaus. At least I knew what to expect from him, but I didn't feel anything. That was what I told myself, anyway.

There was this attraction I felt for him, to his dark side, but I pushed it away as best as I could. Klaus killed Jenna _and _Elena (granted, Elena came back to life). He killed people without remorse, but so did Damon. Why do we think we're better than him again? Damon had killed, Stefan had killed, _Caroline _had killed. What made us the innocent ones?

I kicked the punching bag in it's middle. The thrill and ecstasy it provided wasn't nearly as great as the thrill I'd get from punching someone in the face. _Violent thought... put away the violent thoughts..._

Was Klaus even being honest? Did he genuinely like me? I doubted it somehow. If it was Elena, Bonnie or Caroline, I'd get it completely, but _me_? It wasn't as believable. But the prospect of him really 'fancying' me,made me somewhat happy. He was a thousand year old hybrid who could have any girl in the world... but he chose me. Not anyone else... _me_. Maybe that was self-centered, but it felt great.

"You're gonna break that thing."

I snapped my head over to the source. "Oh, Jacob, hi. Just letting off some steam."

Jacob Greene had been my best friend a couple of years back, when we were kids. I didn't really talk to him anymore, or anyone outside of my circle of supernatural friends.

"How have you been?" I asked him.

He shrugged. "Alright. Still working at the Grill." Jacob watched me for a moment, a worried expression on his face. "Rough breakup?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Way more complicated than that."

He sat on an orange bean bag. "I'm all ears."

My punches got fiercer as I got angrier. "Well, I broke up with my boyfriend because he was jealous of this guy who's into me, but I'm not even _sure _he's into me. And I feel nothing for him... _nothing_. I think I'm still in love with my ex-boyfriend, which makes everything so much more complicated when I'm around the other guy. Everyone I meet seems to die and my guardian is in jail for suspected murder. And there's a possibilty I'm going to be dead with the next few months."

I only looked at him for a split second. His jaw had dropped and his eyes were as wide as cucumbers. "Wow. You have a lot going on."

I sighed heavily. "You have no idea."

* * *

"Here she comes," I muttered to myself as I watched Meredith get out of her car.

I got out of mine and went up to her. "Hey, Meredith."

We walked towards the hospital. "I'm due in surgery, whatever case you're gonna make against Alaric, make it quick."

I rolled my eyes. "Nice to see you too, Meredith. I've been fine!"

"Get on with it," she urged coldly.

I sighed. "Alaric is innocent, so, I don't have to make a case," I assured her confidently. "He didn't do anything."

"How do you know?" Meredith asked. "Sure you live with him, he takes care of you, but do you really know anything about him?"

"I know enough," I said through gritted teeth.

Meredith stopped in her tracks and turned to face me. "Let me tell you what I know. He was arrested for fighting four times before the age of twenty-one. When he was at Duke, his future wife, Isobel, filed a restraining order against him. _Twice_. Although, then she married him, so I guess that says more about her."

I shook my head. "I _know _Ric. He's not like that. You're making this up."

"Am I? How would you know? You took pity on a borderline alcoholic vampire hunter and you never even thought to look any deeper," Meredith replied.

"How could you do this to him?" I asked. "He's innocent! Ric didn't kill anyone."

"You're dating a vampire and have an Original chasing after you," Meredith retorted. "It shouldn't come as a shock to learn that your guardian is a murderer."

Then the bitch of a doctor sauntered away. I called Elena. "She's not budging. It's like she has an ex-girlfiend grudge or something against Ric."

_"Right. Time for plan B then. Keep her distracted."_

"Okay."

I hung up and followed Meredith into a room. She was changing into her scrubs. "Meredith."

She groaned. "Louise, what do you want? I thought I told you I'm not taking anything back."

"I've come to beg for an internship?" I said as she strided past me. "Oh, come on! My dad was a doctor!"

I ran up to her. "Your dad was also a vampire hunter and you didn't follow in those footsteps."

"Well, neither did you!" She was walking _way _to quickly for my liking. "You use vampire blood to heal your patients-"

"Not so loud!" she shushed.

"Sorry," I whispered. "But I think I'd make a great doctor."

"Witch herbs?" she asked.

"I'm gonna be a vampire with the next few months. I'll be the next Meredith Fell, except I won't have to ambush vampires," I told her. "You can't tell Ric any of that."

She shook her head. "It's none of my business. And I'll think about your internship."

"Thank you."

"Now, if you don't mind, I have to preform surgery. Bye, Louise. It was nice talking to you." She shut the door in my face.

_Rude_. "Meredith!" I knocked on the door. She didn't come back out. "Great. Lost her."

* * *

_"You had one job. _One _job and you couldn't do it."_

"Elena, I couldn't exactly follow her into surgery!"

_"And we got caught! We planned everything so perfectly, Louise. At least Ric's name is cleared."_

"Why did she have a copy of Ric's alibi in her closet? And an old Gilbert journal?"

_"I dunno, but we'll find out."_

She hung up. I ordered a glass of water from Jacob. He used to smuggle me alcohol two years ago, but I didn't feel like alcohol.

Someone sat on the stool beside me. "One tequila please," said the smirking voice of Klaus Mikaelson. "Anything I could get you, love?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm fine, thanks. And quit it with the 'love.' It gets annoying."

He chuckled. "I thought you liked it, _love_."

"No, I don't, _darling_," I replied in a British accent.

"Good try," Klaus complimented. "But I believe it takes years to develope an accent as fine as mine."

"Don't be so cocky," I said, smiling brightly. "I think your accent is pretty mediocre to be honest."

He put a hand to his heart. "You wound me greatly."

I laughed. "Don't expect me to apologise."

Klaus was the type of guy I'd fall for. Dangerous, maybe a little complicated... I was your typical teenager when it came down to falling for the bad guys. Except, the bad guys for me were a homicidal hybrid and a vampire with multiple personalities. Klaus killed my aunt. What would Jenna think? Sure, she was fine with Damon... _wait_. Why am I... I'm not interested in Klaus! Push it aside... deeper... deeper... _Gone_.

Klaus' eyes widened when he heard something. "Sounds like Damon is making Stefan feed from a human."

I shot up and got to my feet. "What? I-I better go."

I ran out of the Grill, only noticing that Klaus was following me when Matt, who was standing on the sidewalk, looked behind me. "Hey, what's up?"

His gaze kept drifting to Klaus. I looked down the alleyway. Stefan was drinking some girl's blood. Damon was watching him. He _knew _Stefan couldn't handle human blood. "Damon! What are you doing?" Stefan turned around, blood dripping from his mouth and a ravenous look on his face. "Stefan?"

"Louise. What are you three doing?" Stefan asked, trying to play casual.

"Watching a vampire in his true element," Klaus said, grinning.

I shot him a look, as did Damon. "Relax, Louise. Just a little experiment. There's no need to make this more dramatic than it needs to be."

"Louise, let's just go." I'd seen Stefan like this before, but it never ceased to amaze me... to terrify me. I couldn't take my eyes off of him. "Louise!"

Matt grabbed my arm and pulled me away. I didn't fight, in the end, he was right. I didn't want to see Stefan like this. Damon... I could handle, but not Stefan. Never Stefan.

* * *

I sat at the kitchen table. Matt gave me a cup of warm hot chocolate. I smiled gratefully to him as he sat down in front of me. "Just say it," I said.

"I just don't get it," he replied. "Your thing with them."

"I know it doesn't make sense," I started. "But after my parents died, Stefan and I... we became friends. Like really great friends. I could talk to him about anything and he'd never judge me, he was my confidant and I was his. Then before the start of senior year, Damon and I... we just clicked. Everyone said they saw it coming, but I never did. But there was something about being with him that made me feel... safe."

"Safe? Louise, he's a vampire!"

"I know, I sound crazy, but it's like I knew he would never stop loving me. Like he would never..."

I trailed off. Did I really want to tell Matt? "What?" he pressed.

I took a deep breath and answered, "Die. Like he would never die."

Matt nodded in realisation. "Like your parents did. And Klaus?"

"Klaus." I scoffed. "You sound like Damon, now. Thinking that there's something going on between us."

"The way he looks at you, Louise. Him and Damon, they really care about you and I can see that, in some way, you care about Klaus too. But you're not letting yourself show it, you bury it deep inside because you don't want anyone to think any less of you," Matt said.

I inhaled deeply and replied, choosing my words carefully. "Klaus, he... Maybe it's the fact that someone who doesn't care about anything else somehow cares about me, but there's something there. I don't know what the hell it is, but I... I can't shake it. And I feel like such a horrible person after everything he's done, I really do. But I know that I'll never feel the same way with him as I do with Damon. I'm... I'm in love with Damon. He's the first person I've ever loved. Maybe the only person I ever will."

"Once you fall in love with someone, I don't know if-I don't know if you can ever shake them."

I gave him a sympathetic look. "Elena?"

He nodded solemnly, but then he laughed softly. "You know, before Elena and I started dating, and don't get me wrong, I loved her more than anything, but I had the biggest crush on you."

I laughed. "_Me_?"

"Yeah," he said. "You were the intelligent, pretty, sporty, good-at-everything overachiever. We used to joke in the locker room that we'd win the league if we had Louise Gilbert on our team."

I chuckled. "I can't believe you had a crush on me."

"You were my first crush," he said, smiling. "Hey, I got you something."

He pulled out a journal and handed it to me. "The Gilbert Journal?" I asked, reading the cover. "How d'you get this?"

"Meredith and that idiot deputy were too busy questioning Elena to give a damn about me," Matt said with a smile. "Sometimes it pays to be the only normal one in a town of vampires. I'm practically invisible. It's your family's, you should have it."

I smiled back at him. Ric entered the kitchen. I got up and walked over to my guardian. "You okay?"

He nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I'm alright."

I wrapped my arms around the man who put his life on hold to take care of us.

* * *

_A/N: I love those reviews, so, keep 'em coming! _

_And if you didn't answer the questions from the last chapter, can I ask you to answer them now? Not that I'm gonna come to your house and force you to answer them (wow, I sound like a creep now), I'm just asking politely. Rarr!_

_Follow, favourite, review. Until next time, my friends._


	17. Break On Through

_Break On Through_

Ric was inside an MRI machine, getting examined. "What exactly are you looking for?" I asked her.

Meredith was preparing to scan Ric. "I don't know. A tumor, vascular anomalies, anything physical that might explain his behavior. If it's medical, I can treat it."

"And if it's not?" Elena inquired.

Meredith wore a stubborn and determined expression. "Well, then we'll deal with that too."

Someone slid Ric inside the tube. "When did you suspect him? That it was Alaric who was killing all of those people?" Elena questioned.

"It was after he told me about his ring," Meredith answered. "I remembered a story my grandmother had told me about Samantha Gilbert and her secret journal. I don't know if you know this, but we Fell's are notorious busy-bodies."

"Why d'you protect him?" I asked.

"Because I'm a doctor, I don't like to see someone hurt by something they have no control over. And because when he and I first met I felt like… I don't know, I-I just kind of want to help him."

Aw! She wanted to help him! Wait... was that romantic or not?

We heard Ric breathing heavily inside the machine. Meredith spoke to him through a speaker, "Everything alright in there?"

He waited a while before responding, "Yeah. Yeah, everything's okay."

* * *

Ric was in his hospital room, packing up. "Meredith says that everything is normal," Elena informed him.

"Yeah, well, everything is normal, because there is nothing wrong with me," Ric ranted, continuing to pack. "I didn't kill Brian Walters, I didn't kill Bill Forbes, and I sure as hell didn't shove a hunting knife into my stomach." He looked down at his ring which was on the table. "Or I did and I've gone insane, just like your ancestor who..." he picked up the Gilbert ring. "...wore that ring."

"Look, I'm gonna call Bonnie. The rings were made by a Bennett witch so maybe a witch can reverse the damage," Elena said.

Ric pushed the ring towards us. "Take it. I don't want it anymore."

I picked up the ring gingerly, looking at Ric as I did. Was he serious? If he died, which was _very _possible considering we lived in a town where half the populations are one supernatural species or the other, he wouldn't come back.

Damon barged into the hospital room. "You ready to ditch this House of Horrors?" He turned to Ric. "Oh, you look terrible."

Alaric nodded. "Yeah, let me... let me check out of here."

Ric went to check himself out and Elena followed him, giving Damon a murderous look on her way out. He looked to me for my reaction, but I just shook my head and left, going out to my car.

Damon followed me outside of the hospital. "Don't worry about him, take him out for chicken soup, get him a martini, make sure he doesn't kill anybody."

"What the hell is wrong with you? How could you just go out feeding with Stefan like some vampire take out?" I spat.

"Oh right, I thought we were talking about Alaric, but of course we're talking about Stefan," Damon scoffed.

I spun around and pointed an accusing finger at him. "He's my best friend, Damon. And you just _stood _there and let him feed on an innocent girl.

He stepped closer to me. I knew what he was doing. "I didn't let him do anything, if you want to get nit-picky about it, I made him."

I rose an eyebrow. "Why would you do that?"

"Because we're vampires, Louise," he replied. "We need human blood to survive. We're predators, not puppies."

"He can't control it, Damon," I said. "He'll drain some innocent person of blood and then he'll be so full of guilt he'll turn it off."

He eyed me for a moment. "You've changed."

"What?"

"You're back to the self-righteous witch you used to be," he explained. "Why don't you find Bennett and you two can be all judgy together?"

I rolled my eyes. "I hate it when your like this."

He gripped my wrist tightly, preventing me from going any further. "When we were together, you felt free. Didn't you?" He pulled me into his chest and whispered into my ear huskily, "You felt safe. There was passion. You want it all back, admit it."

I weakened beneath him. That voice of his... it made me swoon. I struggled out of his grip and backed away. "I'm confused, Damon. Everything's confusing me."

* * *

"This is nice," I said, not taking my eyes off the television. "Like pre-Ripper times."

"I'm getting myself together," Stefan told me. "I'm not going to be the bloodaholic brother anymore. Ha, you died! My go!"

He snatched the remote control out of my hand. We were playing _Crash Bandicoot. _I suggested _Call of Duty _but Stefan didn't like the gore or the blood. "No need to be so rude." I pouted, crossed my arms and sat back in the couch sulkily.

Stefan laughed at me. "Quit sulking." The laughter stopped and a serious look crossed his face as quick as a thought did. "Have you told Elena yet?"

I pulled myself up. "No. I will closer to the time."

"You could be a vampire by the next full moon, Louise," Stefan said. "She deserves to know. So do Alaric and Jeremy."

"I told Caroline," I admitted. "She promised not to tell anyone. Bonnie knows too."

Stefan scoffed, amused. "You told _Caroline_ and you expect her not to tell Elena?"

I shrugged a little. "She promised."

"This is Caroline we're talking about here," Stefan said. "Caroline Forbes. She couldn't keep a secret if her life depended on it."

He was right. I decided to change the subject. "So, what d'you know about Samantha Gilbert, my crazy ancestor?"

"She was committed to an insane asylum. She tried to give herself a lobotomy with a knitting needle, and bled to death on the floor of her cell."

I gulped. "Sounds great."

He passed the controller to me. "I'm gonna get a blood bag."

My jaw fell as he walked out of the room. "A what bag?" He didn't respond. "Stefan Salvatore! Answer me!"

He was on human blood now... since when? I'd grill him when he got back up. "Don't overdose!" I called.

Can vampires even overdose?

* * *

A half an hour later, Stefan went back up to his room, which I was in. I shut down the game and stood up straight, hands on my hips. "Were you drinking blood for a whole half an hour?"

"Yup," he replied.

I flinched back, surprised. "Right. Uh... that's not a good idea?" It came out more like a question.

"I know. But it's so difficult, Louise," he said. "I'm on the ripper edge. I don't want Elena to see me like this, but I..."

"Then we won't tell Elena." He looked shocked. "I can keep secrets. She doesn't need to know anything about your diet. This is between you and me."

"Elena won't be too happy..."

I shrugged. "Eh... she can get over it."

He smiled gratefully at me. "Thanks... but what do you know about vampire control?"

I held my hands up in front of me, palms out. "Hey, I got over a chocolate addiction. I can get over anything."

"My blood addiction is a lot different to your chocolate addiction, Louise," he told me.

I sighed and slumped my shoulders. "Okay, so we've established I'll be a hopeless mentor. But I can try. I am not a giver-upper. So, what's our first mission, student?"

He chuckled and said, "To find out more about Samantha Gilbert."

I pouted. "Oh."

* * *

We were looking over old newspaper articles in the town square. Stefan was sweating and breathing heavily beside me. "Hey, Stefan. You okay?"

"Whenever I try to focus on a newspaper, I just hear a vein pumping blood through an innocent body," Stefan told me snappishly. "I'm not fine."

"Don't get mad at me," I said in a high-pitched voice. "I was just asking if you were okay." I scanned the newspaper page and spotted something on Samantha. "Ah-hah! _'Samantha Gilbert, patient of the Virginia Mental Hospital, killed two people within a week: a nurse, Elizabeth Goth and a guard, George Holden. May they rest in peace_._ Samantha is currently on suicide watch...' _Great genes, huh?" Stefan was speechless as he snatched the paper from me. "Rude!" He didn't respond. "Stefan? Stefan, you're scaring me."

"She didn't have her ring," he said breathlessly. "Patients who are on suicide watch aren't allowed jewellery or personal effects."

My eyes widened. "But... no! Why would she kill those people without the influence of the ring? Stefan-"

"Because once the damage is done, there's no going back. She didn't need the ring for her alter-ego to manifest."

I caught on. "That means Ric doesn't either."

"I'll tell Elena," Stefan said. "You go back to the house and make sure that Alaric isn't... you know..."

I nodded. "Right."

* * *

I took out some herbs from my bag. Bonnie's mom had given me some. The most effective was a herb that could knock someone out, which I planned to use on Ric if his alter-ego had come out to play.

The green herb was poured on my hand. I clenched my hand in a tight fist to prevent any of it falling out. Ric came down the stairs, wrapping a bandage around his hand.

"Hey there," Ric said, smiling.

There was something forced and suspicious about his behaviour. "Hi. Uh, where's Meredith?"

"Oh, she got called into the hospital for a last minute surgery, but she'll be back later," he told me.

I gestured to Ric's hand. "What happened?"

He stared at his wounded hand. "Oh, I... I broke a coffee cup and sliced my hand open trying to pick up the pieces. Did you find out anything?"

"No," I lied, as Alaric's alter-ego was doing.

"Did you get my ring?" Ric asked, referring to his wedding ring.

I shook my head. "Elena couldn't find it."

"Yeah, well my place is a bit of a disaster. I guess I'll just have to go get it."

He walked down the stairs. There was a knife on the floor. Ric stared at it, as did I. Our eyes met and Alaric edged for the knife. I ran behind him and put my hand over his mouth. His grumbles were muffled as he slipped into unconsciousness. I let him fall to the ground, laying him down as gently as I could.

I got up and spun around, looking for a certain brown-haired doctor. "Meredith?" I called. "Meredith?"

I went up the stairs warily. I was afraid evil-Alaric would wake up angrier than ever.

Meredith was grunting in pain inside the bathroom Elena and Jeremy shared. I kicked down the door and rushed over to her. She was bleeding... someone had stabbed her in the stomach. The doctor sat in a pool of her own blood. "Did Ric do this?"

She nodded. "His alter-ego, it manifested."

I looked at her helplessly. "I'm so sorry, Meredith. I can't do anything. But Stefan... I'm gonna call him."

Standing up, I dialed Stefan's number on my phone. He answered quickly. _"Louise?"_

"Ric's alter-ego stabbed Meredith," I told him. "She's going to die if you don't get here as soon as possible."

_"I'm just outside."_

"Get in here quickly."

I hung up and knelt beside Meredith. "I'm really bad at this," I said. "Just... just wait. You'll be okay."

Stefan rushed into the room, Elena beside him. "Oh my God!" she gasped. "Stefan, you-you have to feed her your blood!"

Veins protruded underneath Stefan's eyes as they darkened. "Come on, Stefan. Fight it," I begged.

His face transformed back to normal. He got down on his knees beside me and bit into his wrist before feeding Meredith his vampire blood.

"You're gonna be okay," Elena said to Meredith.

Stefan stood up and walked out of the bathroom. I followed him out to the hall and put a hand on his shoulder. "You did good, Stefan. You're getting there."

He nodded to me before striding out of the house.

* * *

_Dear diary,_

_My guardian's a psycho killer. Well, one half of him is. He wore this ring that brought him back to life and that turned him into a crazy hunter who hunts vampires and founding family members. Other than that, he's still good old Ric. _

_But he stabbed his new girlfriend. Weird right? _

_Damon got more white oak stakes. He held a party with Rebekah and his old mentor, Sage. He slept with Rebekah (ugh...) and Sage was able to get into her head to find out about the stakes. But then Sage betrayed him (if you could call it betrayal) and, with Rebekah, burnt the bridge down. They didn't know that the sign for the bridge was made of white oak. Now, we have a weapon to kill the Originals. _

_But there's this nagging part of me that doesn't want Klaus dead. Does that make me a bad person?_

Yes, it does.

"Hey."

I tore my eyes away from my diary and onto Bonnie. "Bon!" I got up, putting my diary onto my dressing table/study area and pounced on my best friend, wrapping in her a strangling bear hug. "I am so, so sorry about your mom! If I had talked to Damon beforehand, I-"

She pulled away from me. "It's okay. Esther was channeling from you. You would have died. You _and _Elena would have died. I was just... I was angry. Because it felt like I was the one constantly getting hurt."

I nodded understandingly. "I get it. Forgive me?" I smiled hopefully.

She smiled back and laughed. "Done. I gave Mr. Saltzman some herbs and did a spell, he should be fine as long as he takes them at least twice a day."

"I'll be bad cop from now on," I assured her.

"Good."

Bonnie's phone rang and she checked it. "It's Caroline." I nodded to her to answer it and she did. "Hey, Care... What?... Right. I'm fine Caroline. Nothing I'm not used to by now."

She hung up. "What is it?" I asked worriedly.

Tears pooled up in her chocolate brown eyes. "Abby's left again."


	18. Murder of One

_Murder of One_

It took all the strength and will-power I had to not devour the chocolate muffins in the brown bag I was carrying. Maybe they'd soften up Ric's evil side? I was being too optimistic, but it was optimism day for me. I went through all the good points of killing Klaus in the shower, and only realised I was saying them out loud when I turned the water off.

I knocked on the door, expecting Ric to answer it. But of course, Damon did. "Morning sunshine."

"How's Ric?" I asked, stepping into the apartment.

Damon blocked my way, wearing a smirk. "Indecent, but fine."

"Was there any talk about killing... anyone?"

"Nope," Damon replied, popping the 'p'. "Slept like a baby, woke up Alaric. No talk about dead council members."

"Then why do I feel like you're hiding something from me?" I questioned, looking past him and into Ric's apartment. "I know about the stakes. Stefan told me."

His face scrunched in anger. "Ah, well. Of course he did. What'd you bring me?" He snatched the brown bag from my grip and sniffed it. I narrowed my eyes at him. "Ooh, chocolate muffins. You know what they say! A way to a psycho killer's heart is through his stomach."

I took back the bag of muffins from him. "They're not for you."

"Fine. Keep convincing yourself you're still mad at me, even though you and I don't know what the hell you're mad about. But sadly, Ric's gonna have to miss Lou-Lou time today. You know, lockdown and all."

I rolled my eyes. "Just give the muffins to Ric and tell him I miss him. Can you manage do that?"

I handed him the bag. "With pleasure."

"Thanks."

He slowly shut the door in my face. "Have a great day, thanks for coming by."

"Damon Salva-" The door was fully shut. "-tore."

I sighed and stomped out of the building, sulking like a child.

* * *

"Alaric Saltzman killed my father?" Caroline exclaimed in disbelief as we walked through the woods.

"I can't expect you to be okay with this," Elena said. She was so much better at handling these things than me. I preferred to give people hot chocolate when they were upset. "But at least these herbs that Bonnie's giving him, they're healing him and they're keeping the dark side buried."

Caroline's voice broke as she said, "Yeah, and that's supposed to make everything okay?"

Elena grabbed Caroline's arm softly. "No, Caroline, it's not okay. It's horrible and I feel horrible about it, but he's a victim of something supernatural, he didn't ask for this, it just happened to him. Like Louise with her moon problem." _'Moon problem'_? Moon problem! Seriously? "Just like Bonnie's mom, I mean, she didn't ask to become a vampire. And neither did Stefan or Tyler."

Caroline took a deep breath. "Or me."

Elena nodded. "Or you. None of you asked for this, but who would I be if I just turned my back on any of you?"

Caroline wrapped an arm around Elena's shoulder. "Oh, Elena Gilbert, saviour of the cursed and the damned." She stretched out her arm to me. I rolled my eyes, smiling, and she wrapped it around me.

"Here, here!" I cheered.

Matt showed up and we broke apart. "Hey. What's with the cryptic secret meeting text?"

I shrugged. "I dunno. Stefan just said to meet here."

Stefan and Damon joined us. "Where's Bonnie?" Stefan asked. "I texted her too."

"Bonnie's mom bailed on her. _Again_," I said. "I think we should leave her out of this."

"What are we doing here?" Matt inquired.

"We found some more white oak. Long story, wait for the movie," a raven-haired Salvatore explained.

This was, apparently, new news to Elena. "Hang on. White oak? You have a weapon that can kill Klaus?"

"Nope. We all have a weapon." Stefan tossed a duffel bag onto the ground. There were a bunch of white oak stakes inside of it. "Klaus has always been one step ahead of us, but now we have the advantage. We're all armed and they are all linked, meaning we only need to kill one of them. We need to seize the best opportunity, which means we need to prepare for every opportunity."

"Scenario number one," Damon said. He grabbed me and moved me to a different spot, because the spot I was in didn't apply to Drama rules. "You get to play Klaus."

I grinned. "Right. Big nasty hybrid, got it. I'm going to kill you all!" I said in my best British accent.

Caroline giggled while Matt, Stefan and Elena laughed. Damon still looked like a stick was shoved up his ass. "Great Klaus impression, Louise, but not needed." I pouted and folded my arms. "Rebekah is our target, so we distract her and catch her off guard." He turned her to Caroline. "You're gonna play Rebekah. We use the quarterback to distract her. Just keep her talking."

"How?" Matt pressed.

"Act interested," Damon advised. "She's lonely, desperate."

"Clearly," Caroline remarked, sending a smirk my way. "She slept with you."

I suppressed a very large grin and held back an incredibly loud laugh. "Hm. Beefcake holds bombshell. I come up from behind her." Damon grabbed Caroline's arms and shoved them behind her back. "Grab her arms like this."

"Ow!" the blonde exclaimed.

Stefan entered the award winning preformance and pretended to stab Caroline/Rebekah. "Gives me time for one shot."

Damon let go of Caroline, who gave him a shove. "Got it? Good. So we all have one stake, we keep it hidden and we look out for any opportunity we have."

"No last minute attacks of pity for any of them," Damon said, looking between Elena and me.

"Don't worry about me," Elena assured. "Not after what happened to Bonnie's mom."

"Likewise," I agreed. "That family has only brought us pain."

Damon nodded. "Barbie?"

"Oh, I'm ready. Anything that will free Tyler from his sire bond to Klaus."

"Busboy?" Damon said, referring to Matt.

"Do I have a choice?"

"Good point."

"We have twelve stakes, twelves shots at killing one Original," Stefan explained. "Alright, let's try another scenario. Elena grab a crossbow." He handed Elena a crossbow. "Matt, you play Klaus."

* * *

We were walking through the town square. I liked nature. I could feel it, but I knew that I wouldn't be able to have that connection for much longer. "Mr. Saltzman was like the most normal guy in town," Matt commented.

"Yeah," Caroline and I replied in unison.

Elena walked over to us. "Is it weird that Bonnie's not returning my calls?"

"You and me both, honey," I said sadly. I looked over to where Finn was in the square, along with a lady friend of his. "But I think it's weirder that Klaus' suicidal brother is in the middle of the town square."

"That's Finn," Elena said. "I thought he left town."

Caroline brushed back her hair to listen to Finn and the girl's conversation. After a few moments she 'awed' and said, "That's so sweet!"

"What?" Elena pressed.

"She waited for him for nine hundred years and she never stopped loving him!" Caroline exclaimed, almost jumping happily. "Isn't that cute?"

"I suppose..." Elena trailed off.

* * *

"Rebekah kidnapped Damon?" I asked Elena. She had told me that Rebekah knocked out Ric and took Damon.

She nodded. "Yeah."

I saw Stefan outside of the Grill. "One second." I walked up to the vampire. "Hey. How's Ric?"

"Hey. He's just banged up. Caroline's gonna stay with him and make sure Alaric stays Alaric. Matt texted me and said Finn is still in the Grill. We need to plan our next move," Stefan said.

"Rebekah has Damon," I reminded him. "We have to find him."

"No, we need to stay on point," Stefan insisted. "See an Original, kill an Original. That's the plan."

"Yeah, that was the plan before Rebekah the vengeful Original kidnapped Damon!"

"Look, Louise, I understand that you're concerned about my brother's life, but if he even knew, for one second, that we were talking about missing a chance to kill these people he would lose his mind," the vampire told me.

"Yeah, but if the roles were reversed and you were the one being held captive by a psycho Original, he would stop everything to save you," I said.

"I know what my brother would want," Stefan assured.

"What he _wants _and what we should do are two very different things," I replied. "Stefan, please."

"You gonna help me with this or not?" I pursed my lips firmly together and nodded. Stefan smiled. "Good."

* * *

Matt slipped vervain into their tequilas. They coughed and spluttered. Stefan stood up and left. Finn and Sage followed him out. I got a crossbow from underneath one of the tables. Ric had hiding places all over Mystic Falls. Some of them were actually kind of crazy.

I got up and followed him out the back door. The stake was on the ground, as was Stefan. As Finn was about to grab the stake, I shot him in the gut. Elena and Matt rushed out. The quarterback took out his stake and stabbed Finn in the heart.

"No!" Sage roared as she slid next to him, stroking his face.

I felt horrible. I wasn't really thinking about anyone when I played my part in this. All that I knew was that Klaus had to die. But did I really want him to die? I had asked myself that question about a hundred times today. Sometimes it was yes and sometimes... it was no.

We rushed out of the alleyway and went back to the Boarding House. Klaus was dead, they were all dead. The five of them did such awful things in their lifetimes, and it wasn't as if they didn't deserve it. Even Elijah, the so-called 'noble one', backed Damon and Stefan into a corner where they were forced to turn Bonnie's mom in order to save my life and Elena's.

We were greeted by Caroline as soon as we walked into the Boarding House. "Hey. How's Alaric?" Elena asked.

"He'll be okay. I gave him a bottle of Bonnie's herbs and he went home. Oh, did you guys kill Finn, did it work?"

"Nothing worked until I see Klaus' dead body myself," Stefan said.

My phone rang and I answered it. "Bonnie. Where have you been?"

_"Klaus has Damon."_

I took a deep, shaky breath. "No, Klaus is dead. They're all dead... we just killed Finn."

_"No, Louise, he forced me to do a spell that unlinked all the siblings. He's still alive."_

Stefan looked crestfallen and angry. "Okay, right. Bonnie, where's Damon?"

_"At Klaus' mansion. It's bad, Louise, he threatened Jeremy. And my mom."_

Bonnie was crying on the other end of the phone, sobbing helplessly. "Bonnie, are you okay?"

_"I don__'__t know. I__'__m sorry, I have to go. I just – I have to – I have to go.__"_

"No, Bonnie just..."

My phone beeped, signalling the end of the call. Stefan was fuming as he went for the door. "Hey, hey," I called after him. "Where do you think you're going?"

"You two stay with Caroline. I'll call you when it's over," Stefan said.

"Stefan, you're being stupid. Klaus has nine hundred years on you. We need another plan," I told him.

"What we need is for Klaus to be dead!" Stefan growled.

Elena grabbed Stefan and whipped him around. "Stefan, stop it! You're acting on anger!"

"Anger gets things done, Elena!" he insisted.

"Or it'll get you killed!"

"And it'll get Damon killed along with you," I added.

Stefan shook his head. "Klaus does not get to survive this. Not after everything he took from me."

Stefan stormed out, slamming the door in a teenager-y tantrum. Caroline joined us in the front hall, frowning. "I miss well-adjusted Stefan."

All of a sudden, the doors flung open and my vampire best friend was thrown through it. Sage marched into the house, looking very vengeful. "Ding dong."

Caroline went to attack her, but the nine-hundred year old vampire easily overpowered her and threw her to the ground. "I'm not here for you. I'm here for him."

Elena ran to the front door, but Sage's vampire minion blocked her path. "I don't think so."

Sage approached Stefan angrily. "I had to kill him, Sage," Stefan insisted.

The red-haired vampire scoffed. "Oh, you remember me." She kicked Stefan and he went flying into a chair. "Good. Then you know I like to go all ten rounds."

She began to cough violently as blood dripped from her nose. "Sage?" her vampire asked worriedly.

Sage recovered quickly and threw a punch at Stefan, but despite her much older age, Stefan grabbed her fist and threw her to the ground. "Troy, help me!" Troy released Elena and rushed over to Troy. He was coughing up blood as well. "What's happening to me?"

_Wouldn't we all like to know?_

Then the two of them just... died. The four of us gaped at the scene. "She just died," Elena commented, still in shock like the rest of us.

"Sage and Troy both died an hour within Finn," I realised. "There has to be a connection here."

"But why? Were they bitten by a hybrid or...?" Elena trailed off.

I shook my head. "Hybrid bites don't look like that."

"Maybe Sage was so in love with Finn she just died of sadness," Caroline guessed.

That sounded like a lovely fairytale. "No, that doesn't explain Troy," Elena said.

"Maybe they had one hell of a threesome together?" I suggested.

Elena and Caroline shot me a 'be serious' look. I shrugged. "It's the blood," Stefan said suddenly. "The bloodline. It has to be. Think about it: Finn turned Sage, Sage turned Troy. They're all part of the same vampire bloodline that originated with Finn."

"Wait, so when an Original dies every vampire turned from their bloodline dies along with them?" Caroline said. "Because that would mean…"

Elena bit her lip nervously. "If the Originals die, so do all of you. The entire vampire species would… it'd just be dead."

* * *

Elena and I were fixing up the Salvatore parlor. The fight had left it somewhat... uh... messy. Vampires should not had nice things in their houses.

Caroline came back into the house, a disgusted look on her face. "Vampire disposal. Not my strong suit. Ugh. Where'd Stefan go?"

"Trading the stakes for Damon," I told her.

Caroline sat down. "All of them?"

I shook my head. "We still have three of them. Which means we have three shots to kill three out of four Originals. We just need to find out which one to save."

"How are we supposed to do that?" Caroline asked.

"Well, you were turned by Damon's blood. Damon and Stefan were turned by Katherine, who was turned by Rose. We just need to find out who turned Rose," I said.

"And you have no idea?" Caroline asked.

"No," Elena said sadly. "But it can only link back to one Original and if the odds are in our favour, hopefully it won't be Klaus. So that we can still kill him."

Caroline looked worried. "Elena, Louise." She stood up. "Even if Klaus didn't create our bloodline, we know for a fact that he turned one of us."

Then it clicked. "Oh my God," Elena gasped. "If we kill Klaus... then Tyler will die."

* * *

Stefan came home later in the night. "You're still here?" he asked me, sitting on one of his armchairs. "Where's Elena?"

"She went home," I told him. "She was exhausted. So was Caroline, actually."

"And you stayed?" he asked.

I nodded and smiled. "Of course I stayed. I would hardly let my best friend sulk alone. This bloodline thing really screws up our plans, huh?"

"I know you wanted them to be screwed up." I shot him a questioning glance. "Klaus." My jaw opened. What about him? I closed my mouth quickly and swallowed. "As much as I hate it and I hate him, you feel something for him."

"I don't f-"

"Yeah, you do," Stefan said. I stared at my lap. "But what you feel for Damon is stronger. Louise, you always say how well you know me, but I know you just as well."

"We need to find out who turned Rose," I said suddenly, changing the subject. "I don't know how, but we do."

He nodded. "And there's one person who can ask her."

"Who?" Ah... yeah... _him_. "Jeremy?"

"How would you feel about a roadtrip to Denver? Just you and Damon?" he asked with a smirk. "You can sort out those unresolved feelings for him..."

I reached over and smacked him on the arm. "Are you playing evil vampire match-maker now?"

He shrugged, still smirking madly. "Call it what you want. You know you want to."

I rolled my eyes. "_Fine_."

* * *

You'd think I'd get used to vampire-killing by now, but I wasn't. In a way, I was relieved Klaus wasn't dead. Did that make me a bad person? Maybe. And I kind of hoped Klaus did sire Damon, Caroline and Stefan's bloodline. Maybe I was just a horrible person who fell for bad people.

I shut the door behind me and leaned on it. I straightened up when I heard the pitter-patter of footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Elena," I said. "You're up late."

She glared at me venomously. "You didn't tell me," she spat as she walked down the remainder of the steps.

"What?"

"That you're dying!" I shut my eyes closed and bowed my head guiltily. "You knew and you didn't tell me _or _Jeremy _or _Ric!"

"Was it Caroline or Bonnie?" I asked her suddenly. "Who told you? Or was it Stefan?"

She scoffed. "You can rule out Stefan. He'd never betray your trust! Not even for me. It was Caroline."

I nodded, scoffing. "Right."

"And she was in the right telling me. I'm your sister!" There were tears welled up in her brown eyes. "You were prepared to _die _without letting me say goodbye!"

"I was going to tell you," I insisted. "And I'm not gonna die... well, not exactly. Damon's going to turn me into a vampire within the next few months."

"What?" she whispered.

"It's the only way. Bonnie's tried looking for another solution, there is none. Even Esther didn't know what to do! And she's the most powerful witch that ever was," I said.

Tears were streaming down her pretty, oval face. "I don't want to lose you."

I shook my head. "You're not going to."

* * *

_A/N: Reviews? Suggestions? Love to hear 'em!_


	19. Heart of Darkness

_Heart of Darkness_

I snuck into the Salvatore boarding house, the essentials packed in my bag. "Alaric?" I asked, peering inside.

"Yep, still me," my guardian/history teacher replied. I slid open the lock and stepped inside. Ric was sitting on his rather uncomfortable looking bed. "You know, you shouldn't be in here. It defeats the point of the whole being locked in a cellar thing."

I dropped the bag on the floor in front of him. "Well, you still need the basics. Toothbrush, clothes, some boring books to help you sleep."

Ric picked up one of the books and handed it to me. "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?" he said amusedly.

I stared at the cover. "What? No, I grabbed…" I scoffed and shook my head. "Damon. Thinks he's hilarious."

"At least one of us still has a sense of humor," Ric commented.

"Are you sure that you're okay being kept down here?" I asked. "I mean... you don't have be. Nobody's forcing you to be a prisoner."

"Ah, no, this is… this is the right place for me to be. At least until you guys can convince my highly uncooperative alter ego to 'fess up to where I... or _he_ hid the white oak stake," Ric said.

I let out a loud sigh. "We looked everywhere. Underneath your bed, every cabinet in your flat, our house and the Salvatore Boarding house, even beneath our beds! You... I mean, other, psycho you, hid it really well."

"What's Klaus gonna do if you can't find it?" Ric questioned.

"Well." I dragged over a chair and sat down on it. "It's the only thing in this world that can kill him, so I'm guessing murder a bunch of people 'til we find it."

Ric scoffed. "And you're interested in this guy?"

I scoffed right back. "No! Ric, he's even more psycho than psycho you. And that's saying something."

He stuck his tongue out at me and I smiled sardonically at him. "Listen, Stefan is gonna watch over you for a little while. Now that Klaus knows where Jeremy is, it's not safe so... Damon and I are gonna go to Denver to pick him up."

Ric grinned. "Why do you say that like you're waiting for me to disapprove?"

"Oh... I don't know. Me and Damon... traveling across the country... alone..."

"You're a big girl now, Louise," Ric said. "You can take care of yourself. I guess I'm more curious what Stefan, the over-protective big brother figure, has to say."

"Actually... it was his idea," I told him. "He thinks I still have some unresolved feelings for Damon."

"Do you?" Ric pressed.

I shrugged. "I guess we'll have to find out." I handed him back his book. "Enjoy 'Dr. Hekyll and Dr. Jyde."

Ric chuckled. "It's 'Dr. _Jeykll _and Dr. _Hyde_."

I laughed and stood up, "Potato potatoe."

I walked into the room where Damon and Stefan were. "Have you ever flown first class?" Damon asked me.

"Ooh, nice," I commented. "Who d'you have to compel for that?"

Damon waved his hand. "Pft, please. I use miles."

He picked up his luggage and left the room. Stefan winked at me. I stuck out my tongue and showed him my middle finger. He chuckled.

"See ya, Stef."

"Uh-huh. Have fun." He did that stupid wink again. I rolled my eyes and stormed out of the room frustratedly.

I bumped into Elena in the hallway. "Hey," she said.

"Um... hi," I stammered. "Did you wanna come with us to get Jeremy?"

She shook her head. "Well... yeah, but Stefan told me about this trip and how it's meant to... um, y'know."

I nodded. "I know."

"And it might be good for you and those 'feelings' you have for Klaus."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "_What_?" I snapped. I took a deep breath and said in a much calmer voice, "What feelings?"

She rolled her brown doe-eyes. "I've seen it, Louise. How you frown and fidget whenever somebody mentions killing Klaus. I know you don't want to feel this way about him..."

I glared at my twin. "You know nothing, Elena. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to retrieve our medium brother."

I shoved my way past her. Could everyone please stop mentioning my complicated relationship with the hybrid who's trying to kill us all?

* * *

We arrived in Denver later that day. "He mentioned something about being at the batting cages today," I said, looking around. I spotted my baby brother in one of the cages. I almost bounced with joy when I saw him. "There he is."

Damon was observing his playing skills. "Next time we compel him, remind me to make him better at baseball."

"There won't be a next time... hopefully," I said, walking over to the cage. "Hey, Jer!"

Jeremy whipped around. "Louise? What's wrong?"

I smiled happily. "Nothing. Nothing's wrong."

I linked my arm in his when he got out of the cage. Damon explained to him the happenings in Mystic Falls over the past few months. "Katherine sired us, Rose sired Katherine, all we need to do is find out who sired Rose."

"So, you traveled across the country to get me to talk to a dead vampire?" Jeremy asked.

"Dead vampire is redundant, but yes," Damon replied.

"Well, I can't. I could talk to Anna and Vicki because I knew them. I've never even met Rose," my medium brother said.

"What good is you dying and coming back to life if you can't talk to a ghost when I need you to?" Damon said.

"Shush, Damon," I snapped. I turned back to my brother. "Rose spent a long time running from Klaus as well. She was close with Damon... maybe we could use him as a connection?"

"Fine, fine, but can we do this later? My friend just got here." Damon opened his mouth to say some snarky retort. "And yes, Damon, I actually have some. I'll call you when I'm done."

Jeremy walked away. I spun around and saw Kol, an even more psychotic Original that Klaus. "Jer..."

My brother _smiled _at him. Like he _knew _him. "Hey man."

"Damon... it's Kol!" I screeched.

Kol smashed Damon in the head with a baseball bat. The bat broke in half as Damon fell to the ground. "What are you doing?" Jeremy roared at Kol.

"Jeremy, get the hell away from here! He's an Original!" I yelled at him.

Jeremy's face fell. "What?"

"No hard feelings, mate. But we're not buds." Kol grabbed another bat from the rack. "You know, I'll never get use to aluminum. But hey, at least it won't break."

Kol made to hit Damon with the bat, when Damon grabbed one half of the broken bat and stabbed Kol through the heart with it. Kol fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Did you kill him?" Jeremy asked.

"No, but it'll give us a head start," Damon said. "Okay, come on."

He gripped my wrist and pulled me away from the batting cages, Jeremy with us.

* * *

We got the luggage out of the car and made our way to our motel room. "For the record, she's the one who wanted to stay in a motel, not me."

I rolled my eyes. "So, where are we?" Jeremy asked.

"Corner of somewhere and nowhere where Kol can't find us," Damon quipped.

Jeremy looked sad. "I can't believe Kol was a vampire."

"Well, didn't you find it weird that you made a friend so fast? Have you met you?" Damon insulted.

I smacked his arm and glared at him as we walked up the stairs. "Not needed," I spat. We entered our motel room. "Well, here we are. This should work, right Jer?"

He shrugged. "Eh, doesn't really matter."

"Alright Whoopi, what do you need?" Damon pulled over the curtains. "Candles? Incense? Pottery wheel?"

"That's not how it works," Jeremy snapped, offended that Damon was making a joke out of his medium gifts.

"I know, I know. They push from the other side and you pull from this one."

"Alright, you uh... you got a picture of her?" Jeremy questioned awkwardly.

Damon scoffed. "Picture? What, a trip to Disneyland? Come on Rose, you're not gonna actually make us wait, are you? I know you're obsessed with me."

I rolled my eyes and sat down next to Jeremy. "Alright... um... tell me something about her."

Damon sat down at the edge of one of the beds and smirked. "Um, well, she does this little thing with her tongue..."

"Something relative, Damon," I snapped. I didn't want to here about Rose's prowess in bed.

A sad, pensieve look crossed his features. "She spent her last day in paradise. Soaking in the sun and reminiscing about what it means to be human. And when death came, she didn't fear it."

"I was with her on her last day. She wasn't in paradise," I said, remembering the day Rose died from a wolf bite.

Jeremy looked beside him. "It was in the dream he gave her. She's here."

* * *

_**Third Person POV**_

"Is she lonely on the other side?" Louise asked Jeremy.

Rose smiled. "No. I enjoy it. I was running so much when I was alive, now I have the freedom to do whatever I want."

"She says not to worry, she's happy," Jeremy told the two non-mediums.

"Is she still hot?" Damon asked, smirking.

"Tell him he's still dripping with sex too," Rose said, grinning. Jeremy gave her a 'what the hell?' look. "Fine, tell him I miss him."

Jeremy was all too happy to tell him that. "She misses you."

"And tell him I'm rooting for him and Louise." Jeremy raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you're not caught up. Klaus is interested in your sister."

Jeremy scoffed. "Seriously?" Damon and Louise shot him a questioning look. "She, uh, she misses both of you."

"Unfortunately, I don't have any news on the siring front. Klaus didn't sire me. No Original did. It was Mary Porter," the vampire said.

"She was sired by someone named Mary Porter," Jeremy informed.

"Ugh... Scary Mary," Damon said. "Well, where is she, Rose?"

"I didn't keep track of her when I was alive, much less now. Tell them to sit tight, relax, I'll see what I can find out."

* * *

_**Louise POV**_

Jeremy was watching the television as I unpacked. "So..." Jeremy started. "What's up with you and Klaus?"

I snapped my head over to him. "What do you mean? We're trying to kill him. Nothing's 'up.'" I shot him a reassuring smile, which he didn't buy.

"Are you sure about that? Cause even Rose said something."

"What did she say?" I pressed, crossing my arms.

Damon joined us, having been talking to Stefan. "Everything okay in here?"

I nodded slowly. "Yeah. It's fine."

"Okay, well, I'm gonna freshen up," he stated. "You might want to get some rest. I'm sure Rose will make herself known when she gets back."

* * *

As I read _A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man_ by James Joyce, Damon walked out of the bathroom, no shirt on, his toned chest displayed openly and proudly. He grabbed a bottle of alcohol in the ice box and slipped on another shirt. I couldn't help but to stare at him. I hadn't seen his bare chest in a while and, as embarrassing as it was, I missed the sight.

He poured himself a drink and sat down on a chair. He downed the glass of whiskey and caught my gaze. I looked away quickly, shut my book and put it on the bedside table. I closed my eyes and tried to get some sleep. _Don't open your eyes, don't open your eyes... damn it_. I couldn't pull away from his gaze. His eyes were an icy blue that never failed to hypnotise me.

Damon stood up and walked over to my bed. He lay down next to me, facing the ceiling. "You never told me about that. What you did for Rose."

"It wasn't about you," Damon argued.

"Why don't you let people see the good in you?" I asked. "I know it's there, but you keep hiding it."

"Because when people see good, they expect good." He turned his head over to look at me. "And I don't want to have to live up to anyone's expectations."

I looked away and moved onto my back. Damon's hand gripped my as his thumb caressed mine. I began to breathe heavily. I hate it when he did this. He made me feel like... like I wasn't in control. When I was with him, every part of him was saying 'go for it' even it I knew it wasn't logical. I was so confused. I didn't know what I wanted anymore.

I got out of the bed and rushed out of the room, putting on my black coat. I leaned against the pillar. What would I have done if I hadn't left? I would have kissed him and then I... that would have led to something more... Would it have been a bad thing?

Damon came out after me. "Don't," I said firmly.

"Why not? Louise..."

I stepped one step closer to him. I was at war in my mind. This time... this time I just gave up. I wasn't hurting anyone, was I? "Screw it," I muttered.

I rushed towards Damon and put a hand on either side of his face, planting my lips on his. I never had a kiss like this. It was passionate... I felt so safe. Like nothing could come between us. This was what I wanted. I wanted to feel safe, but a little danger and security. But there was something missing and I didn't have a clue what it was.

Damon pressed me against the pillar. I smirked into his lips and wrapped my legs around his waist. He kissed my neck and my chest lovingly, his kisses were full of passion and desire. I knew where this was going and I didn't want to stop it. I lifted his gaze to meet mine. I smiled at him and attacked his lips with mine.

I opened my eyes and looked behind Damon, hearing someone come out of their room. It was my baby brother. I untangled myself from Damon and shifted awkwardly, leaning against the pillar. Jeremy shot me a slightly disgusted look. "Uh... hey, Jer."

Did I just traumitise him?

"Louise?"

"Oh my God, Jeremy. I…"

Jeremy shook his head. "Rose found Mary. She lives in Kansas."

Okay then. Let's go," Damon said.

The vampire-traitor went back into our room. Jeremy gave me another disgusted look and I sighed heavily. He never did like Damon and I together.

He should be happy it wasn't Klaus.

_Wait. What_? Where the hell did that come from?

* * *

"This is the address," Jeremy said when we pulled over.

It was a creepy looking house. Damon did say her name was 'Scary Mary.'

"Looks about right," Damon commented.

"Wait here," I told my brother.

"Why?" Jeremy exclaimed. "So you guys can make out some more? You know, Louise, I never got why you dated him."

I pursed my lips into a tight line. "Don't be a dick. Listen to your sister," Damon scolded. Jeremy scoffed and got back into the car. "Thank you. Come on."

We went into the house. I flipped the switch and the flash light lit up the room. "Oof, like Vampire Hoarders," Damon said.

"Who is this 'Scary Mary'?" I asked him.

"Ah, scary Mary. She's really old, super creepy," Damon answered.

"And how do you know her?" I questioned.

"I dated her."

I scoffed. "Of course. Is there a vampire in this world you _haven't _slept with?"

He tapped his chin in mock-thoughtfulness. "Hm..." Maybe he was actually thinking about this. Okay, super creepy. "Bonnie's mom!"

"Great," I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes. "I can't believe you dated 'Scary Mary.'"

He shrugged. "What? I said creepy, not ugly."

There was loud noise coming from another room. We looked at the door where the noise came from. Damon opened the door and I followed him. I moved the light from the torch around slowly. It landed on a very dead, very staked vampire.

"Mary," Damon said.

Someone switched on the lights. A smirking Kol was sitting in an old-fashioned chair, a bat in his Original clutches. "Quite contrary. Shame about Mary, she used to be a blast. Don't quite know what happened. I fear all the time she spent with my family might have ruined her. She was a bit of an Original groupie."

"And were you her favorite?" I asked, trying to get some information out of the Original.

"You mean, did I turn her?" Kol said, catching on. "I think I did. But no, wait, maybe it was Rebekah. There was also a Klaus period. And let's not forget the Elijah affair. I spoke to my brother, I know you're trying to find out who you descended from. Now you never will. So, where did we leave off?"

He hit Damon with the bat. Damon fell to his knees as Kol beat him. "Louise, get out of here!" Damon urged.

I looked at him helplessly and ran towards the door. Kol blocked my way. "According to my brother, you're off limits. Please don't test me."

He pushed me onto the ground. Damon stood up and rushed towards Kol. "Don't touch her."

"Oh dear, I've hit a nerve. Relax, _darling_, I just want us to be even. You snapped my neck, you killed my brother, and then you humiliated me." Kol beat Damon with the wooden baseball bat, looking satisfied with himself. "There. Now we're even."

* * *

Kol had left. I knelt down next to Damon and put a hand on his firm chest. "You okay?

"Yeah." He pulled his arm back into place with _pop_. "That's better." He stroked my face gently and touched my forehead. I gasped. I didn't realise I gotten hurt. "Are you okay? You're bleeding."

I nodded. "Yeah. I'll be fine." I smiled at him. "But I realised something today."

He looked a little worried. "Oh? What's that?"

I bent down and kissed him softly. "I'm still in love with you."

"That's good," he replied.

I backed away and smacked his arm playfully. "Hey!"

He rolled his eyes. "I love you too. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Yes, but with a little more meaning." I pouted.

His cupped my face in his hands gently as his icy blue eyes bore into my darker blue ones. He said, this time more serious than ever, "I am in love with you, Louise Gilbert."

I smiled. "Better."

* * *

_**Jeremy's POV**_

Jeremy looked at his sister, sitting beside Damon. She looked happy. Did Damon really make her happy? To him, he was just an enormous dick. Maybe Louise thought that she could fix him. Maybe she just accepted his bad sides. He didn't get it.

The medium turned his head to see Rose sitting in the car seat. His eyes went as wide as cucumbers. "Are we there yet? Don't tell them I'm here. They're together again. I know you want to stop it. Protect her from him. But you're young, you don't see what I see. It's not just that she makes him a better person, she does, but he changes her too. Damon challenges her, surprises her, he makes her question her life... beliefs. Klaus is different. Somehow, she becomes a better person around him, and she brings out the humanity in him. You might want to tell her to close over her curtains at night time, by the way." He gaped at Rose, but she shook her head, amused. "The two of them... they're either the best thing for her or the worst."

And with that, the vampire disappeared into thin air.

* * *

"So, about today..." Damon started.

"I meant what I said, Damon," I assured him, placing a hand on either side of his handsome face. "I'm in love with you."

"And Klaus?" he asked suddenly.

"I feel nothing for him," I said, trying to convince myself more than him.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. I broke away from him and opened the door to my house, I gestured for him to come inside. I practically attacked him with my lips and wound my legs around the vampire's waist. He vamped us up to my room and threw me on the bed.

Smiling, I tugged at my top and slipped it over my head. Damon ripped off his shirt. He speeded over to my door and locked it, before returning to me, smirking. He kissed my stomach as I ran my hands through his raven hair.

I didn't realise how much I missed nights like these.


	20. Do Not Go Gentle

_**A/N: Important Author's Note at the end, please read!**_

_Do Not Go Gentle_

I opened my eyes and the memories came flooding back. What was more shocking was... I didn't regret any of it. Elena and Jeremy weren't home so I had nothing to feel guilty about.

Damon's side of the bed was made up. I got out of bed, got dressed and went downstairs into the kitchen. My raven-haired vampire boyfriend was making me breakfast.

"Pancakes?" he offered, flipping one up in the air. "I found some chocolate sauce."

I laughed and pecked him on the lips. "I'd love some. Where's Elena?"

"Gone to school. Said something about reminding you to help set up the decade dance. Haven't we gone to enough of those?" Damon said.

I shrugged. "Could be fun." The good humour in Damon's mood seemed to fly away. I seriously hated when that happened. "What?"

"I found something in your room," he said.

I knitted my eyebrows together in confusion. "What was it?"

"A drawing Klaus gave you," he answered. I looked down at the ground in shame. "Of you and a horse. Why didn't you tell me?"

I met his gave. He looked hurt. "I just... everything was going so well and I didn't want to ruin it. It doesn't matter anyway. Can we just not talk about Klaus?"

He let out a sigh. "Right. Fine."

"Thank you," I said, relieved.

* * *

After a lovely Damon pancake, I went to school to prepare for the decade dance with Caroline. I was scared of Caroline when she was stressed, so I didn't like testing her.

I saw Jacob on the other side of the street. He waved to me and I waved back. I continued to walk down the sidewalk, somewhat distracted. I felt good today. Damon and I had fixed things up. It was nice being in a relationship again, knowing that someone loved you was great. But at least I knew that I didn't need Damon to complete me. I didn't want to be one of those girls who needed a boyfriend to complete them.

I bumped into someone with a very hard chest. "Oh, sorry." I looked up to see who it was. "Klaus. Should I be trembling?"

The hybrid chuckled and walked with me towards the school. "You know I'd never hurt you, love."

"Ah," I said. "Right. So what d'you call attempting to kill half the people I love?"

"Sorry about that," he replied. "But it had to be done."

I scoffed. "Oh, of course. Actually, the first time we met was at a decade's dance like this one. You possessed Ric's body and Bonnie almost died. Good times, huh?"

He stood in front of me, not moving and blocking my way. I tried to go around him, but he stepped to the side. "Why do you always have to cover this - _us _- with hostility?"

"There is no _'us'_, Klaus," I said. "There's you, the hybrid who kills almost everyone he makes eye contact with and me, the witch who's about to become dead meat if I'm late at the school to help prepare for another decade dance where someone's probably gonna die. So, if you'll excuse me." I tried moving past him again, but he blocked my way. _Again_. I huffed. "Seriously?"

"Look me in the eye and tell me that there's nothing between us," Klaus demanded.

I opened my mouth to speak. What the... There _was _nothing between us. I said that to everyone so why couldn't I say it to him? What the hell was wrong with me?

His eyes were blue, like Damon's, like mine. Damon's were icy while Klaus' were a gunmetal blue, darker than Damon's but colder. Sometimes emotion would spark in them, but then it'd disappear as quickly as it came.

I edged closer to him, completely in a daze and glanced to his lips. This was crazy and impulsive. _Back to senses, back to senses, back to your freaking senses! _I pulled myself away from him and rushed off, bumping my shoulder off his as I went.

Oh my God.

I almost kissed Klaus.

* * *

"So, Alaric is trying to pull himself together, why is that a bad thing?" Caroline asked.

"I just wish there was something I could do," I said, picking up a chandelier. "Where do you want me to hang this thing?"

"You know what, if Rebekah wanted to hang this monstrosity she should have shown up to do it herself." She handed the chandelier to an innocent student. "Just no!"

We turned to see Matt and Jeremy hanging stars on the ceiling. "What are you doing? You can't just hang them! They're supposed to trickle down."

"Trickle, duh!" Matt joked to Jeremy. It was nice to see Jeremy friends with someone who didn't want to kill him.

"Look at them all bromancy," Caroline commented.

"Elena asked Matt to help Jer readjust," I said. "You know how he can't say no to her. Matt got him his old job back at the Grill."

"That was nice of him."

"Jeremy's got a lot on his mind. The whole thing with Alaric has got him really stressed out," I said sadly.

Caroline smirked as she teased, "You sure it has nothing to do with witnessing you and Damon getting hot and heavy in a skeevy motel?"

"I didn't tell you that so you could torture me with it," I said. "Hey, I need to tell you something."

"Oh?" I dragged her over to an empty stop. She almost dropped her clipboard. "This better be important."

"I almost kissed Klaus," I admitted guiltily.

She dropped her clipboard. "Oh my God. You... you didn't." I nodded to her, pursing my lips tightly together and a guilty expression on my face. "You did. Elena owes me ten bucks."

"You're not going to tell her, Caroline," I said. Then I realised exactly what she said. "Wait, what? You two were betting on me and Klaus?"

She nodded, now she was the guilty one. "What are friends for?" she asked in a squeaky voice. "So who are you bringing to the dance? Klaus or Damon?"

"What do you mean? I thought you, Elena, Bonnie and I were going as girl dates?"

"Hm, Elena's going with Stefan and Bonnie has a date." She winked at me.

"Who?"

"Jamie called and wanted to see her so she asked him," she told me.

"Ooh la la," I sing-songed.

"So, here's a thought, why don't you ask Damon?" Caroline suggested.

I gaped at her. "I can't ask him on a date! I almost kissed his arch-nemesis... _our _arch-nemisis!"

"All the more reason! Look, it might distract you from your Klaus feels," she advised. "Come on, you have to."

I put my hands on my hips, grinning madly. "Caroline Forbes, are you suggesting that you _approve _of me and Damon?"

She laughed. "Maybe I am. Damon loves you and you love him. And after everything you've been through, you deserve that. He's your epic love."

I squealed girlishly and wrapped my arms around her. "I'm glad I got your approval. You've got no idea how much that means to me."

She patted my back, giggling. "Oh, I think I do."

I pulled away from the hug. "I'm gonna call him."

"You do that," she said. As I left the hall, she called after me, "I love you!"

I spun around. "Love you too!"

That was what it was like before the supernatural came into time. People used to look at Caroline and I as if we were crazy. And there was a large chance that we were...

I dialed Damon's number on my cell. I knew his number off by heart by now. It was quicker to dial it than to go to my saved contacts.

_"Hello?"_

"Hey, Damon. I was just wondering if you wanted to go to the decade's dance tonight?"

Words couldn't describe how awkward this felt. He was a one hundred and sixty somethingth year old vampire and I was asking him to a high school dance.

_"I'd love to."_

That came as a shock. "Ugh... great. See you there."

_"Bye."_

I hung up and put my phone back into my pocket.

* * *

My dress was a dark purple. My hair was pinned up in a loose, curly, messy bun to the side. I wore a headband with a floral pattern on it. I touched my necklace. It was the necklace my mom gave to me for my sixteenth birthday.

Someone knocked on the door. _That'll be Damon_, I thought. "Coming!" I yelled, rushing down the stairs. I opened the door to Damon. "Hey."

He offered me a white rose corsage. "My lady."

I took it and smiled at him. "Thank you."

I pinned it to my dress. "You look stunning," he said.

"You don't look too bad yourself," I replied. "Shall we go?"

He linked his arm in mine. "Yes, we shall."

* * *

Bonnie looked happy as she danced with her date, Jamie. The two of them had one thing in common, they were both abandoned by Abby. Who could walk out on their own kid/kids? I was a little disgusted with the witch-turned-vampire. Even if it was for Bonnie's safety, she should have said goodbye.

Stefan and Elena were dancing and smiling. They had gotten back together, apparently. The blonde vampire pecked Elena on the lips before twirling her around. I was happy for her. Stefan was getting his blood intake under control. Everyday, the two of us would hide in the Salvatore basement. I'd give him a blood bag, he'd beg for more and I'd hand him one spiked with vervain. That put him off it.

Caroline was enjoying her evening with Tyler, who had just came home after weeks breaking his sire bond to Klaus to be with the girl he loved.

Damon spun me around and dipped me. The song turned into a slow one and we begun to slow dance. Klaus showed up.

"Mind if I step in, mate?" Klaus asked Damon.

"Yeah, actually, I do," Damon spat. The dancing came to a halt.

"Louise?" He turned to me. "Come on, one dance, I promise I won't bite."

Just because Damon treated me like I didn't have a choice, I convinced myself. Klaus offered me his hand. "Fine."

He brought me away from Damon, who left the gym. "You would've loved the 1920s, Louise. The girls were reckless, sexy, fun. They literally used to dance until they dropped."

"I take it their dance partners never dropped?" I questioned.

"You should be nicer to me, I'm leaving tomorrow." For some reason, that saddened me. "I'd invite you to come with me but we both know you're not ready to accept my offer. Perhaps one day, in a year, or even in a century you'll turn up at my door and let me show you what the world has to offer."

"Sure I will," I countered.

"You mark my words. Even with a vampire, a small town life won't be enough for you."

And with that, he left. I stared after him. Why was I upset that he was leaving? I _wanted _him to go.

Didn't I?

* * *

And I was being twirled around by Damon. He swept me off my feet - _literally _- and spun me around. I giggled. "Damon, I'm in a dress!"

That didn't stop him. I clutched onto his neck for dear life. He eventually put me back down on the floor. "I just wanted to give you some fun memories of this night before I shatter them all."

I sighed. "What happened?"

"Ric isn't taking the herbs," Damon explained. "I think evil-Laric is out to play."

I gaped and stepped away from him. "We have to tell Elena and Stefan."

We went over to the two happy lovebirds. "Hey, us four need to talk," I said.

* * *

"If Alaric is sick then we need to find a cure. Something," Elena insisted.

"We tried medicine, we tried magic," Damon said.

"Why don't we get him off vervain, compel him?" Stefan jumped in.

Damon scoffed. "What? To pretend to be Alaric? The guy that we know is gone. We're talking about someone who not only hates vampires, but vampire sympathisers. Which makes two of his most obvious targets - I don't know - you two!" He gestured to Elena and I.

"What you think he'll go after Elena and Louise?" Stefan asked.

"What exactly are you suggesting we do?" I inquired.

Damon looked sad, but determined, when he said, "I'm suggesting that we put him out of his misery."

"What?" Elena and I exclaimed.

Jeremy joined us. I guess he heard our conversation... "No, no way in hell!"

"Oh come on, It's what he would want. It's a mercy killing," the vampire insisted.

Jeremy shook his head. "You're out of your mind!"

"Hey, Jer..."

He whipped around and stormed off. Elena gave me a small smile and followed him.

* * *

A few minutes later, Jeremy rushed back inside, breathlessly. "E-Elena. She's gone to meet Esther."

"What?" I said, shocked.

"Come on, we have to get her!" Jeremy replied.

He rushed out of the school. Salt was circling the school. "It's salt. The binding agent for her spell."

Jeremy was able to step over it. "We're trapped here," Damon stated.

* * *

Damon went inside to get Bonnie as Stefan paced. "We'll get out of here and we'll get her. Calm down," I said to my very anxious best friend.

Klaus was walking out of the school angrily. "Rebekah, call me back immediately! I only came to this ridiculous dance because you begged me to and now you're nowhere to be found." He stopped suddenly when he saw the salt. "What is this?"

"Your mom's back," I told him. My phone rang. I took it out of my purse and checked it, gaping as I saw who it was. "It's Elena." I answered the call. "Hey, Elena, where are you? Are you with..."

_"Hello Louise."_

I turned around. Stefan and Klaus looked both angry and worried. "Esther," I said venomously. "Where the hell is my sister?"

_"I assure you, she is fine. And she will be as long as you do everything I say."_

"What do you want?"

_"You will come to the address that I give you, alone. You will not tell your friends where you are. Or else I kill them all."_

I scoffed. "And your children are the abominations."

_"Do you understand?"_

Stefan shook his head frantically. "I understand."

I hung up and slipped my phone back into my purse. "What part of 'shaking my head' do you not understand?" Stefan asked angrily.

"She threatened your lives and Elena's," I pointed out. "You think I was just gonna stand idly by?"

I walked up to the barrier. Klaus had gripped my wrist firmly. "Louise. This is suicide."

I narrowed my eyes at him, channeling my power. Klaus grunted and held his head in his hands.

Shooting Stefan an apologetic look, I stormed out of the school and past the salt barrier. I had to make sure my sister was safe. Even if it was the last thing I ever did.

* * *

Esther had called me back with the address. The Salvatore mausoleum, that's where she was. I walked cautiously into the crypt. Esther was making a potion and preparing for a spell. She looked up and smiled eerily when she saw me. "Ah, Louise. You came. Wise choice. The moon is not at it's apex, so I'm afraid your gifts won't be of any use to you against me. And, I have a confession."

"What?"

"I lied." I shot her a confused look. "It was within my reach to help the luna bruja, and I did. With the power of my ancestors, I have granted you a full, human life. An apology on my part."

I gaped at her. "You _lied _to me about this? Why?"

"Because I planned to use you to destroy my children. You would have died anyway and I thought that would have lessened the grief of dying."

Glaring at her, I spat, "Oh, how kind of you." I eyed the bowl suspiciously. "What do you want from me?"

"Your blood," she answered. "And the doppelganger's."

Ric was standing next to her, but it wasn't 'Ric' as I knew him. It was Evil Alaric, the dark side of my guardian. "She wants to turn Ric into another one of them! Into an Original!"

My gaze shot over to Esther, who hadn't budged. "No... no! You can't! You can't do this to him!"

"I am making him better," Esther assured me. I scoffed at her. "I will use him as a weapon to end my children. He will be in possession of an indestructible white oak stake." She gestured to a silver stake. "They are an abomination to nature and it is my duty to end them."

"You're the abomination!" I insisted. "You use the lives of innocent people to get what you want. You're just like the rest of your family: Elijah, Kol, Rebekah, _Klaus_. But like Elijah, you call yourself moral and that you're just doing the right thing, but you're not. Think of all the good vampires out there-"

"There is no 'good' vampire," Esther said, cutting me off. "Most, if not all, vampires have killed. That makes them evil."

"And you haven't? Didn't you kill that Tatia girl?" I pressed.

"They feed off innocent blood and do not feel remorse for their actions. They must be killed," she said, avoiding the subject of Tatia. "All of them."

I stared at her, my mouth wide open. "Ric, this isn't what you want. It's not who you are," Elena said.

"You don't know who I am, Elena," Ric replied. "You only know the weakest parts of me, the man who lost his way befriending vampires instead of killing them."

"You don't mean that," I said, recovering from my previous shock. "You care about Damon, I... I know you do."

"They're all monsters," Ric said monotonously. "The blood of their victims is on my hands. Jenna's blood is on my hands."

"When you are ready," Esther told Alaric.

"No Ric, please don't. Don't do this. I won't help you, I'm not gonna give you my blood, you're gonna have to kill me!"

I nodded in agreement. "That won't be necessary," Esther said, holding her hand out towards my sister.

Elena's hand started to bleed from her palm. Esther grabbed Elena's wrist roughly and pulled her over to a bowl in the middle of the crypt. The blood poured into said bowl. She let go of Elena and my sister backed away from her. The psycho witch turned to me. "I hope you're not silly enough to fight me."

She handed me a knife. I eyed it skeptically, but did I really have a choice? Willingly or not, she was going to get my blood. I took the knife from her and sliced my hand open. I placed the knife on the table beside the bowl and balled my hand into a fist. Blood dripped into the bowl.

Esther picked up the bowl. "Drink. And let it be done."

"No Ric please, don't!" Elena pleaded. Ric took the bowl from Esther. "No!"

Alaric gulped down the blood. "Is it finished?" he asked Esther.

"Not just yet."

She staked Alaric with the indestructible stake. "No!" I roared, but it was too late.

Ric was dead and in transition.

* * *

I pulled the stake out of Ric, placing it beside his limp body."He'll wake soon. When he does he may for a time be his old self. If so you can say your goodbyes before his transition is complete."

"You said you wanted to undo the evil that you created, but this... this is just as evil!" Elena exclaimed, tears in her eyes.

Esther shook her head. "Alaric will never be what my children became. I have granted him enough power to complete his task. Then, when the time is right, he will die."

"How, if he's immortal?" I pressed.

"All you need to know is that when this is over we will have rid the earth of vampires once and for all," Esther assured us.

"Yeah, but you'll be killing the good along with the bad, you're no better than Klaus!" Elena bellowed.

"Am I not? I desire a world where you and your loved ones will not suffer at the hands of vampires, like your Aunt Jenna did," the Original witch said.

Elena spat angrily, "Don't you _dare_ use Jenna as an excuse for what you've done."

"You may draw comfort knowing that your aunt is not in the place that I was anymore. She no longer knows the torment of The Other Side. Though made a vampire, she remained pure and finished whatever business she had on this earth. She knows peace. Which is all any of us can hope for."

I heard a noise coming from outside. Esther did too and walked outside of the crypt. "Don't move!" Matt's voice roared.

"Where are my sisters?" Jeremy's voice asked angrily.

We rushed outside of the crypt. "Jeremy!" Elena said.

"Let 'em go," he demanded.

"How foolish of you, to risk your lives in defense of those who will kill you. But if that is your choice..." Esther casted a nonverbal spell. Jeremy and Matt turned towards each other, pointing their weapons towards the other.

"Matt! Matt drop your gun!" Jeremy begged.

Matt looked just as confused as the rest of us were. "I can't! I'm not controlling it!"

"Esther, stop it, please!" I begged.

All of a sudden, Matt and Jeremy got their control back. I turned towards a dead Esther and a confused Ric. "Oh my god. Where's my ring?" None of us knew what to say to him. "Tell me what happened."

* * *

"You-you can't die!" Elena sobbed. "You can't leave us, Ric!"

I swallowed, tears rushing to my eyes. We were going to lose another _family _member. Hadn't we lost enough? Mom, Dad, Jenna, John... and now Ric. It felt like the universe just loved picking off parts of my family. And Jeremy... could he handle this?

"I have to, Elena."

My brother joined us in the crypt. "Damon's here," Jeremy told Ric. "And Klaus took Esther's body."

"Does he know about the stake?" Ric pressed.

He shook his head. "No, only that she tried to turn you into a weapon and failed. What's going on?"

"Listen Jeremy, I'm not gonna complete the transition. My dark side was dangerous enough as a human. I can't be a vampire."

"So, what we're just gonna lock you in here and let you die?" Jeremy exclaimed. "No... no we can't!"

"Listen, Jeremy, it's the right thing to do, okay?" Ric insisted. "After everything that's happened, after all that I have done. Maybe I had it coming."

Jeremy turned around and walked towards the door. "Hey, wait, Jeremy. Ric, this isn't your fault, we-"

"Please, you guys, let's not make this any harder than it already is. You two should go. Damon's here. He'll make sure it'll all go down the right way," Ric assured us. Jeremy contined to walked away. "Hey, hey..."

"Don't," Jeremy urged. "Don't give me some crap speech about how I need to be the man of the house."

"Okay. I won't." Ric hugged Jeremy.

He left the crypt. "This is all my fault," Elena insisted, crying. "You moved out, you gave me your ring back, you didn't want any part of this and I.. I forced you to stay and take care of us.

"Don't do that, okay. Taking care of you guys has been... has been the closest I've ever come to the life I always wanted," Ric said.

Elena wrapped her arms around Alaric and sobbed into his shoulder. "You should go."

She nodded and left the crypt, wiping her eyes. "We can find a way," I said once she had gone. "We can find a witch, Bonnie, she, I-"

Ric shook his head. "No. This is it, Louise. You have to be the strong one... for them."

But I wasn't strong. I was barely keeping myself from breaking apart. I was losing yet another father figure, another guardian. Another loved one. It took all I had in me to not cry. "I can't," I sobbed. He put a hand on my shoulder. I pounced on him, engulfing him in a bone-crushing hug. I held onto him for dear life. "I don't want you to go."

All the wall I had built since my parents' death came crumbling down. When Jenna and John died, I didn't cry. I just felt... empty, sad. Like a shell. I couldn't do that anymore. I wanted to break... but Jeremy and Elena needed me and I couldn't bare to be called 'weak.'

"I have to," Ric said. "I can't hurt anyone else. If I... psycho me... ends up killing Klaus, then Stefan, Caroline and Damon die." He smiled sadly. "You should go. This is... becoming too painful."

I nodded and opened the crypt door. Outside, Damon, Caroline, Tyler, Matt, Bonnie, Jeremy and Meredith were waiting for him. I walked over to Damon, who put a comforting hand on my shoulder.

Ric teared up when he saw us before retreating into the tomb.

* * *

Back at our house, I reached under the bed and pulled out the crossbow Ric gave me. I choked on tears. He was dead. Ric was actually dead.

I heard crying coming from downstairs. I wiped my eyes and went downstairs. Jeremy was on the couch, weeping over the death of yet another loved one. I went over to the alcohol cabinet and took out some tequila. He looked at me questioningly.

"We need it," I said, pouring the two of us shots.

I handed him one and downed my own. Jeremy drained his glass. "He's gone," my brother whimpered.

I sat down next to him and put my head on his shoulder, pulling the blankets over us and switching on the TV. We sat in silence for the rest of the night.

* * *

_**Important A/N!**_

_I've decided on when I'm going to make Louise a vampire and yes, I have taken in your suggestions and used them in my decision, though it won't be in the exact way Elena became a vampire, but in that time period (in the next few chapters). Elena will become a vampire too, but her transition won't be as rough as it was on the show. _

_As for the flashbacks, if I post Season Four, there'll be a lot of them included, one of them being the first time she met Damon (not the same as the Delena first meeting since she can't be compelled). _

_I do read your suggestions and reviews, a lot of them impact the plot of this story, but as well as that I have to consider what's best for this story and Louise's character development. I hope none of you are too angered if I don't use your suggestions, but I definately take them into account._

_This is, essentially, a Damon/OC/Klaus fic. Klaus will go to New Orleans as planned (as far as I'm concerned) and Louise isn't going to make her choice until the last few episodes of Season Four, which I hope to post if you, the readers, want to read it._

_So, if you guys would like to read a sequel, press that review button! This story will definitely be finished, since I have all of the chapters written and ready to go. _

_Sorry for the extremely long Author's Note, I just needed to get out what I needed to say. The sequel will probably be posted within two weeks, probably less, when all of the chapters of this story are out._

_Review or PM! A.S.A.P!_


	21. Before Sunset - Part I

_Before Sunset - Part One_

Elena put a paint cover over the armchair. We were going to paint Ric's room... in the middle of the night. Maybe it'd be good for us, maybe we'd get some closure... but all I was getting was a headache.

Jeremy and Elena were pouring paint into a white container. "Going darker, huh?" Stefan walked into the room.

"It's the only color we had," Elena told him, looking around.

"That's what happens when you decide to paint your dead guardian's room in the middle of the night," Jeremy said.

"I don't suppose anyone tried to talk you guys out of doing this so soon," Stefan said.

"Oh, I tried, believe me," I assured him. "But _she _won't listen."

"We have to keep moving," Elena stated. "Otherwise we'll start thinking and we don't want to think."

"Want a hand?" Stefan offered.

"So, are you two like back together or something?" Jeremy asked them.

"Uh..." Elena stammered, looking to Stefan for some input, but he decided to be a coward at that precise moment. "It's complicated."

"Yeah," Stefan agreed, nodding. "I was just checking up on you guys. Seeing how you were doing... after everything."

Jeremy's face twisted in anger. "We're fine. But, if you are trying to be the good guy again, why don't you do the right thing and give us one day. Just one day without any vampires in it."

With that, Jeremy stormed out of the room. I began to paint the room quietly, listening to Stefan and Elena's conversation. "He didn't mean that," Elena said to Stefan.

"Yeah, yeah he did." The doorbell rang. "I'll get that."

I put down the paint roller and followed him to the door. It was my house as well, after all. "Expecting any visitors?" Stefan asked me.

I shook my head. "Nobody knows that Ric's dead."

Stefan nodded and opened the door. Damon was gripping Bonnie's upper arm and the witch had a bite mark on her neck. Blood was dripping from her wound.

"We have a problem," Damon said.

* * *

Stefan handed Bonnie a towel for her neck. "What do you mean he turned? I thought you were standing guard!" Stefan growled at his brother.

"Don't blame me. Blame Bonnie the blood bank. _She _fed him!" Damon insisted.

"No, let's not blame anyone," I said, giving a pointed look to them both.

"I had no idea what was happening, okay? The witches led me there. They wanted him to feed so he'd turn," Bonnie explained.

"So, where's the stake now?" Stefan inquired.

"Oh, you mean the white oak one?" he said sardonically. "The one that can kill an Original and wipe out an entire line of vampires?" Damon glared at Bonnie. "We don't know."

"If you are so upset with me, why did you feed me your blood to save my life?" Bonnie questioned.

"Because I do stupid things, Bonnie. I do things... like let my friend die with dignity when I should have just killed him," he spat.

"There has be a way to kill him now," I said, taking a seat on a wooden chair beside Bonnie.

Bonnie nodded. "I've been trying to figure that out. A witch can't truly make an immortal creature, there is always a way to undo a spell."

"So, what's the witchy work around?" Damon said.

"That's the problem. I don't know."

I stood up. "I'm gonna go check on Elena."

Stefan nodded as I past him. Elena was still painting Ric's room. I picked up the paint roller and joined her. Jeremy walked in on Jenna and Ric 'doing the deed' in that room. Every inch of this goddamn house was filled with memories of people I loved who had died. I wanted to runaway and to never come back... but I was needed here.

"I hope we don't have to do _this _again," Elena said sadly.

"Do what?" I questioned.

"_This_," she repeated. "Mourn. Lose someone else. It seems to be the ushe these days. Have breakfast, go to school, someone we love dies, eat dinner, go to bed. Life seems to just an endless cycle of grief for the past year and a half."

She was right. I pursed my lips tightly, suppressing a sob and continued to paint. After a few moments of silence, I said, "It won't always be like this."

"Won't it?" Elena asked, tears in her eyes and her voice shaking. "I mean, how long more until you become a vampire, huh? Then we'll lose someone else."

She threw her paint roller on the floor angrily. I placed my roller into the container. "Hey, hey," I soothed, putting a hand on each of her arms. "We'll be okay. And you're not losing me. Remember what Esther said? You'll only lose me if I die... _die_ and that's not happening."

She nodded. I smiled at her reassuringly. Our moment was interrupted when my phone rang. _Ric _popped up on the screen. I scoffed and answered it. "Whoever this is, it's _not_ funny."

Elena shot me a worried look and I shook my head, signalling for her to not bother. _"Well, who else would it be?"_

I nearly dropped the phone when I heard my apparently not-so dead guardian's voice. Elena heard his voice too and pressed her ear up against my phone. "Ric?" I said breathlessly.

_"Listen closely, I'm at the school. I have Caroline, and if you want to keep her alive, I need you and Elena to get in your car and come down here right away. If you tell anyone where you are going, I will kill her."_

Ric - or Evil-Laric - hung up. "What do we do?" Elena asked me.

I gulped. "The only thing we can do. We have to go to the school."

* * *

Elena groaned in frustration as we walked down the school hallway. Sneaking out had been surprisingly easy. There was a tree in front of my window which we climbed to get out. We used to use it to sneak out as Sophomore's.

My heart broke (figuratively, in a world of supernatural, that was all too possible) when I heard the sound of my best friend crying. "Caroline," I said.

They were in Ric's classroom. Caroline was pinned to the table by two pencils and a cloth was stuck in her mouth, it was undoubtedly Alaric's doing.

"Oh my God," I muttered. My tone got louder and angrier as I turned to my once beloved guardian and mentor. "Let her go!"

He gestured to Caroline. "Free her yourself."

I knitted my eyebrows together in confusion. Alaric didn't break the stare. I glared at him. Was this some kind of trap? I walked gingerly over to Caroline and placed a hand on her shoulder soothingly. She was about to be put through a hell of a lot of pain. I slowly pulled the pencil out of one of her hands, but before I could get it out, Alaric rushed behind me and slammed the pencil back into Caroline's hand. The blonde vampire yelled in pain.

"What the hell?" I said angrily to Alaric. "You said I could free her! You-"

Alaric only got angrier. "How many times do I have to tell you, Louise? Stop trusting vampires!"

* * *

Alaric dipped the cloth into a bottle of vervain, with the intention of shoving it back into her mouth. This wasn't our Ric, this was a monster! The skin around Caroline's mouth was red and peeling off. How could he do this to her? Did he not see that Caroline never asked for any of this? None of them did.

Ric was walking over to her when the blonde vampire pleaded. "No... no more. Please, no more!

Elena and I stood up. "Alaric, stop!" Elena begged.

He pushed Elena back into her seat and shot me a look. "Sit down, or I'll make you." Self-preservation kicked in and I sat down like a dutiful child. "Good." He gave me a look of approval, but I just scowled at the monstrous vampire hunting Original. "This keeps the vervain in her system. It's like inhaling razor blades with every breath."

He wrapped the vervained cloth back around Caroline mouth's. Smoke was being released for the burning sensation Caroline felt. She whimpered and screamed in anguish. I touched her arm, trying to comfort her some how.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked Alaric.

He smirked. "To make it easier on you when you put her out of her misery." He picked up the white oak stake. "Who's going to be the taker?"

"What?" Elena exclaimed. "_No_!"

"Isn't this what you wanted, Elena? For me to teach you how to kill a vampire?" Alaric said. "Well, here's a vampire, Elena. Kill her."

She shook her head. "This isn't what I want."

He tutted and turned to me. "Louise? You always were the stronger one - tougher. All those hours you spent training, getting even stronger, you could be a hunter. But you've never actually staked a vampire through the heart."

He offered me the stake and I eyed it, _glaring _at the stake as I could make it burn to ashes by just a stare.

* * *

"Why are you doing this?" Elena asked, glaring at Alaric with as much intensity as I was.

"Because you need me," he answered. "You both do. The two of you are eighteen year old girls without any parents or guidance or any sense of right and wrong anymore."

I gestured to Caroline pointedly, "And _this _is right?"

He pointed to Caroline with the stake. "She's a murderer. She told me she killed someone and liked it. Now how is that right? Listen, Louise, your parents led the council. It was their life's mission to keep this town safe. They weren't dead six months before the two of you undid it all."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You don't know them. You don't know anything about them," I spat.

"Why, am I wrong?" Alaric said. "Do you actually think that they'd be proud of you?" He knelt down in front of me. "If you don't side with the humans, you're just as bad as _them_. Now kill her." He handed me the stake. "Or I'll do it for you and I'll make it hurt. Get up!" He pulled me forcibly out of the seat. "Or does Elena want to do it?" I shook my head slightly, non verbally saying to her that I had a plan, and Elena shook hers. Alaric chuckled darkly. "I knew Louise would be the one to do it." He clapped me on the back proudly and I flinched. "Go on, do it. Put her out of her misery. Show me what you've learned."

There was no way in _hell _I was going to kill Caroline, Alaric should have known that. He gave me the stake, not that I willingly took it. I had to take him by surprise. Maybe the stake could kill him? But Esther wouldn't have made that mistake when she made him. Not again, unless she was very idiotic.

I pretended to contemplate killing Caroline, but turned around at the last moment and went for Alaric's heart. He grabbed my wrist before I could. "I thought I taught you better than that."

I suppressed a grin. He taught me one thing, good vampire hunters always had a back-up plan. "You did."

After I grabbed the beaker of vervain, I smashed it over Alaric's head. He roared as his flesh turned to red crisp. Elena released Caroline and urged her to leave. "Get help!"

I followed the two of them out of the room. Caroline was able to get out, _thank God_, but Alaric blocked the two of us from leaving.

"Not so fast."

He pushed us out into the hall. Elena and I backed away from him. The enhanced Original approached me first and stuck the stake into my stomach. I gasped as he took it back out and threw me across the hall. My head split open. Alaric looked like he regretted it, but didn't he hate vampire sympathisers?

I crawled away from them and towards the door. Alaric had pinned Elena against the locker.

"Louise?"

I looked up. Klaus knelt beside me and placed my head on his lap. He bit his wrist and offered me his blood. I drank it. He stroked my hair as I did.

The vampire blood was taking immediate effect. It wasn't completely healed, but I wasn't exactly dying. Klaus' blood was like super blood or something. He helped my up, gripping my arms. "Thank you," I said.

He caressed my cheek with his thumb. "We'll save Elena. You stay here."

I nodded and he gave me one last smile before vamping away.

* * *

After the dose of Klaus' blood, it worked pretty quick. The rest of the wound was taking forever. I still had a sharp pain in my gut from where Alaric stabbed me. I heard the fighting, but I couldn't do anything about it.

"Let him go or I'll kill myself!"

That got me going. Suddenly, the pain didn't exist as I staggered towards them. Alaric was on top of Klaus, ready to plunge the stake into his heart.

"Put it down, Elena," Alaric said.

"Why? Because you still need me alive?" Elena pressed. "There's a reason why Esther used me and Louise to make you, isn't there? She didn't want you to be immortal, so she tied your life to a human one. _Two _human lives. Mine and Louise's. That way you have only one life span to kill all vampires and then you'll be gone. So, when Louise and I die, you die too. That's it, it has to be!"

"You're wrong," Alaric insisted.

"Am I?"

Elena was dragging a piece of broken glass along her throat. "Elena..." I warned, gulping.

She gave me one of her 'shut up' look. Her plan worked as Alaric yelled, "Stop! STOP! STOP! STOP!"

While Alaric had a near-breakdown, Klaus grabbed Elena and I vamped off. Then everything went black.

* * *

I woke up in a place I didn't recognise. I was in a fancy looking room, tucking in a maroon bed. I had a horrible pain in my head. What the hell happened? The last few hours were a blank. The last thing I remembered was Caroline rushing away.

I rubbed my head and tore the covers off me, throwing my legs over the bed. I tried standing up, but fell back on the bed, too weak to stand up apparently. I heard an amused chuckle coming from behind me and whipped around.

"Klaus," I said. "What happened?"

"Alaric Saltzman was transformed by my mother into an enhanced Original-"

"I know that," I interrupted. "After Caroline got away. What happened then?"

He sighed. "We found out that Alaric's life force is tied to your life and Elena's."

I bolted up. "And you're going to kill me?"

He looked flabbergasted and shocked at the idea. Klaus shook his head. "No. Of course not."

Realisation hit me like a ton of bricks. "You're gonna kill Elena, aren't you?"

At least he had the decency to look mildly ashamed. "Yes. I'm draining her of blood as we speak."

"No," I said, shaking my head. "No. You're not going to kill her. Please, Klaus!"

"I understand that you're trying to protect your family, but I am trying to protect mine and the rest of the vampire race," he explained. "If Alaric Saltzman kills me, Damon, Stefan and Caroline will die as well. I sired their line. I turned Mary Porter."

Surprisingly, that relieved me to hear it. Now they couldn't kill him. But they'd find another way. They always did. I backed against the wall and turned my head to see a knife on the chest of drawers. "You won't have to kill Elena." I picked up the knife and held it tight in my hand.

Klaus' eyes widened when he realised what I was about to do. "No, Louise, _no_."

"I'm not about to let my sister die, Klaus," I said, scared out of my mind. I tried not to show any fear as I pointed the knife towards my stomach. "And if you die, then... then Stefan, Caroline and Damon die, not to mention thousands of vampires." I shook my head slowly. "I can't let that happen. I have to do this."

As he rushed towards me, I plunged the knife into my stomach.

The last thing I heard was Klaus' roar before darkness took me.

* * *

_A/N: Next chapter: vampire Louise!_


	22. Before Sunset - Part II

_Before Sunset - Part Two_

Coldness came over me. I felt alive... but at the same time, I felt dead. There was this emptiness inside of me, a pit in the middle of my stomach. I had this hunger, this uncontrollable urge for a certain red substance.

My eyes shot open as I came back to 'life' with a gasp. The craving grew stronger with every second. I knew what I wanted.

Then it all came back to me, hitting me like a ton of very hard bricks.

_"Louise?"_

_I looked up. Klaus knelt beside me and placed my head on his lap. He bit his wrist and offered me his blood. I drank it. He stroked my hair as I did. _

As quick as lightening, the image distorted into the happenings in the very room I woke up in. There was a knife in my hand.

_"I'm not about to let my sister die, Klaus," I said, scared out of my mind. I tried not to show any fear as I pointed the knife towards my stomach. "And if you die, then... then Stefan, Caroline and Damon die, not to mention thousands of vampires." I shook my head slowly. "I can't let that happen. I have to do this."_

_As he rushed towards me, I plunged the knife into my stomach._

_The last thing I heard was Klaus' roar before darkness took me. _

I was dead... a-a vampire. I hadn't realised Klaus' blood was in my system when I killed myself. Maybe I was lucky? For some reason, vampirism didn't cross my mind when I plunged a dagger into my gut.

Shakily, I stood up. I smelt it... the delicious substance I desired. Like an animal, I followed the scent, holding myself up by placing my hands on either side of the wall, rocking sideways and trying my best to stay up.

It led me into Klaus' art room. A pale, blonde girl was standing like a statue in the middle of the room. She'd been compelled, I realised.

Klaus sat on an armchair left to girl, his legs crossed and deep in thought. But I didn't care about him... it was the girl I cared about. My gaze rested on the vein in her neck. I never realised how much that vein popped out before, how much it throbbed. I wanted to rip into it, I wanted to drain every drop of blood in her body. I was so freaking hungry.

I gulped. "Klaus..."

His eyes shot up to meet mine. "You're awake." There was a trace of a smile etched on his feral features.

"I'm a vampire," I stated, feeling the sweat drip down to my eyebrow. My heart was beating loudly and rapidly, I could almost hear it. I was sure Klaus did.

"You found that out quickly, love," he said, chuckling. "I'm impressed." I shivered slightly beneath his stare. If there was a time I didn't need that, it was now.

Along with the bloodlust, came feelings I didn't want. Feelings for _him_. I never noticed how handsome he was. I mean, there was no doubt that he was good-looking, but _wow_. His curly blonde hair framed his face perfectly. His eyes were cold, but relief shone through his usually empty eyes.

He brushed the girls hair to the other side of her shoulder, displaying her very appetising vein. It was bad enough when it was covered... "I brought you a snack," he told me.

"Her?"

He nodded. "There's nothing better than human blood from the vein. It's warmer, better, and it will make you stronger."

"I can just drink from a blood bag," I replied, breathing heavily.

"Nonsense!" Klaus boomed, grinning. "No sire of mine is going to drink blood from a blood bag. As soon as the human's body weakens, you pull away. Simple as. Now, drink up."

He bit into the girl's neck and pulled away. Blood quickly pooled up in her wound and dripped down her neck, teasing me even more. My feet were moving on their own. The blood was intoxicating. The sweet scent filled me up and drew me to the unfortunate girl. I only hoped I could stop. Maybe Klaus would stop me... _wait_, what was I thinking? Klaus wouldn't stop me! He'd probably sit back and enjoy the show!

"Are you trying to force me to turn?" I asked him, swallowing hard.

"I'm not forcing you, love," he answered. "If I really wanted to force you to complete the transition, you would have downed a blood bag by now. You're not a witch anymore. I can compel you, remember?"

His voice become a murmur. The only sound I heard was the girl's vein, pumping blood into her body. The only sight I desired to see was her blood. I wanted to turn, I wanted immortality. This was actually what I wanted. I could be free.

I pressed my lips to the girl's neck, soaking up her warm blood like a sponge. The taste was better than anything I ever imagined, even chocolate. I moaned into the girl's neck. Klaus looked like he was enjoying this, almost getting off.

I pulled away from the girl. Fangs broke through my soft gums, causing me to groan in pain. I threw my head back and plunged my teeth into her neck, penetrating her skin and draining her of her blood. I felt her slipping away underneath me. I had to stop, but I... I couldn't. The blood was too good.

"Louise, stop," Klaus demanded. "_Louise_." He placed a gentle hand on my back. "Stop. You don't want to kill her."

Surprisingly, I did. I stared at the girl's wound. For some reason, I didn't want to feed off her anymore.

"I stopped," I stated in shock. "I stopped!" I smiled madly and wrapped my arms around Klaus' strong shoulders. Her tensed, but then relaxed and stroked my hair with his hand. I pulled away, still smiling. "You helped me stop!"

Klaus smiled at me kindly. I didn't think he was able to be kind. I guess I was wrong. "You did it on your own, love. You'll make a superb vampire. Feeding from the vein requires control if you are to have a conscience. I have long abandoned such a nuisance, but since you haven't, compel her. Tell her to leave, to forget everything that happened today and to go home."

I gaped at him. Klaus was showing mercy... to a human? I never thought I'd see the day. Gladly, I turned to the girl and compelled her. "You'll forget everything that happened today. You went for a... coffee?" Klaus nodded reassuringly, telling me to go on. "And you'll go home."

Robotically, she walked out of the room. A few moments later I heard the front door shut closed. It was amazing what a vampire could do. "Why didn't you kill her?"

He shrugged and poured himself a glass of alcohol. "You needed practice. Personally, I prefer the true identity of a vampire. It's who we are, but it's not who you are. _Yet_."

I rose an eyebrow. "_Yet_?"

"Vampirism corrupts even the purest of souls eventually," he explained. "You won't even need to turn it off."

I frowned at him. He was wrong, he had to be. Vampirism didn't corrupt Lexi. She was a good person, Stefan was too when he wasn't on a ripper binge. Stefan... Elena. _Elena! _Where the hell was Elena? Did he... "Klaus," I said suddenly. His head snapped back over to me. "Where's Elena?"

His face fell. "Here is where the fun has to end, love." He vamped over to me, spilling some of his drink on the carpet. "You'll go home." I opened my mouth angrily to yell at him. "And you won't speak until you leave my house. Don't come back for the rest of the evening."

Again, I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. I opened it again... _nothing_. Even when I tried to groan in frustration... _nothing_. I glared at Klaus and felt a greater power spin me around. I walked towards the door unwillingly. So, compulsion worked. At least I was a normal vampire.

Alaric... was he dead? Or did Elena have to die too?

When I went outside, I saw Damon, Stefan and Tyler approach Klaus' manor. "What are you doing here? We were just about to rescue you," Damon said.

"I was..." I sighed in relief when I realised I could speak again. "Klaus took me at the high school. Elena's in there, you have to save her!"

"We will," Tyler said. "That's what we're gonna do."

"Good," I replied, nodding.

The hybrid's face twisted in confusion. "You smell different."

I pursed my lips and said to the three of them, "I'll tell you later. You guys get Elena. Klaus compelled me so I can't get into the house. I have to go home."

"Dick," Damon growled. "But I suppose I'll have to thank him, now I don't have worry about you wanting to tag along."

Stefan's face lit up in realisation. I guess he was the only one smart enough to remember I _was _a witch. I shot him a 'don't you freaking dare' look and he nodded, albeit slightly reluctantly. "Good luck," I said to the three of them.

They nodded to me and went on inside.

* * *

I hated being like this, not in control. Everything was heightened. Anger, sadness, feelings... I didn't even know I had any for Klaus. It sucked being like this. A defenseless little baby vampire, susceptible to compulsion.

When I took the last turn to my house, Tyler was getting out of his car, two bottles of tequila in his hands. I walked up to him. "That was quick," I commented.

He looked extremely giddy. "We desiccated Klaus."

Why did that bother me? That should make me happy, right? Then why did I feel like I should help him? Stupid vampiric heightened feelings.

"Oh!" I said with faux happiness. Couldn't let _Tyler _of all people know that I wasn't happy with the day's outcome. "That's great!"

The mood was dampened as Tyler scowled. "You're hiding something from us."

I felt my cheeks redden. "No, no, I'm not."

"You're a vampire."

_Oh. Right. That dirty little secret. _At least it was less dirtier than my other one. "You caught me," I said sadly.

"How? Did Damon feed you his blood?" Tyler asked.

I shook my head. "Alaric stabbed me and Klaus fed me his blood. I killed myself. Actually, I didn't know Klaus' blood was in my system when I died." My eyes became tomatoes when I thought of the enhanced Original/vampire hunter. "Alaric! Is he dead?"

"No," Tyler said pitifully. "He's still alive. Looks like you and Elena both have to die."

I scoffed. "Waist of a human life then, huh?"

"Weren't you already dying?" Tyler asked, confused.

"Nope. Esther found a magical fix-it," I told him. "She lied at first so I wouldn't be as depressed on my death bed when she killed me to end her children. I think it was also to make herself feel better."

"Hm," Tyler said thoughtfully. He shook his head and grinned. "Well, I think we should go inside."

He grabbed my arm and dragged me, not roughly, towards my house. "Am I even able to enter my house? Don't I need to be invited in?"

"No, you don't," Tyler answered me. "Come on. You won't regret it."

I laughed as he continued to drag me inside. He let go of me once we reached the kitchen. I smiled at the sight of Caroline, Jeremy, Matt and Bonnie drinking, laughing and having fun. We didn't chill and have fun very often anymore. There was only one person who could have come up with this with a crazy vampire hunter on the loose...

"Caroline came up with this, didn't she?" I asked amusedly.

"Uh-huh," Bonnie replied, taking a gulp of bear and throwing a lazy arm over our best friend's shoulder.

"We deserve it!" she declared proudly. "We finally got rid of Klaus!"

My face fell a little, but I recovered quickly and plastered a smile on my face. Caroline noticed my slip, so did Bonnie. "Elena'll be home soon," Tyler told them.

Now Elena wouldn't have to be a human blood bag anymore, I should be happy. I should be over the moon right about now. He killed Jenna. He _deserved _it. I accepted his impending doom before before, why not now?

I once again blamed it on the heightened vampiric emotions. I was in love with Damon. _Damon. _He was my 'epic love' in the eyes of Caroline Forbes. Caroline freaking Forbes who hated Damon's guts, but she still admitted that he was my true love. Klaus was a monster and I hated him. _Klaus is a monster and I hate him. Klaus is a monster and I hate him_.

I don't know how many times I repeated that, but by the time I looked at the clock again, it was ten minutes later.

Elena walked into the kitchen, gaping at our friends. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Welcome to our victory party!" Caroline exclaimed happily.

"What victory? We failed. Alaric's still out there," Elena said.

Bonnie stepped in and replied to the doppelganger, "We know, but we've been trying to get rid of Klaus forever and Caroline convinced us to enjoy it for a night."

"Oh, Louise," Elena said, turning to me. "Damon wants to talk to you."

I nodded, looking towards Matt who was pouting in the corner. "You know, to be honest, I'm a little pissed none of you let me help you take down Original brother number two."

I laughed as I went outside to the porch. Damon was sitting on the swing. He stood up when he saw me. "Hey," I said. He stared at me. I flinched under his gaze. It was like he was examining me and I didn't like it. "What?"

"You're keeping something from me," he noted. "You look guilty."

I let out a shaky, uneasy chuckle. "What, are you psychic now?"

"Louise..."

"Fine!" I relented, throwing my hands in the air. "I'm a vampire, okay? I wanted to wait until I told everyone. At least until after this Alaric business blew over. We have enough things to worry about."

He placed a hand on each of my shoulders comfortingly. "Hey, hey, Louise. This _is_ important. I'll give you a couple of blood bags, get you sorted with this and everything will be right and dandy."

I gave him a small softly said, "Okay."

He didn't speak for a little while. I was getting worried about what he was thinking of. "Who turned you?"

I pulled away from him. "What?"

"Who's blood? I didn't give you mine... Was it Stefan? Or Caroline? Who?" he pressed. I pursed my lips, knowing the answer would upset him. Damon's face fell. "Louise, who was it?"

"Klaus," I blurted out. Damon's jaw dropped as his expression twisted into rage. "Alaric stabbed me and Klaus healed me with his blood. Then I killed myself, but I... I forgot and now I'm a vampire and _gahh_! Stop looking at me like that!"

He looked hurt. I felt guilty. Why did I have to kill myself then of all times? I could have waited two days and asked Damon to give me his blood. _Stupid, stupid, stupid_!

"He won," he said quietly. "He always wins. Even when he's desiccating in a coffin, he still wins!"

I was confused. "How did he win? He's gone, Damon."

"He turned you," Damon angrily stated. "He was the one who turned you. His blood, not _mine_. That might not mean much to you but it means a hell of a lot for me."

I stepped closer to him. "Why?"

"Because it _does_, Louise!" he shouted. I flinched away from him. His tone quietened as he continued. "I thought it could be something _we _shared. I'd be the one to turn you, not that hybrid _freak_."

"Hey," I said, suddenly all for defending Klaus. I shook my head and gripped his shoulders gently. "Hey, Damon. Klaus hasn't won. His blood turned me, yeah, but that doesn't mean that I'm in love with him. I love _you_, Damon."

He smiled and cupped my face in his stronger hands. He brought his lips to mine in a soft, sweet kiss. The vampire pulled away and pressed his forehead to mine. "I love you too, Louise."

"Uh oh," I said in mock-terror. "Don't you dare not call me for a week again!"

He chuckled. "I wouldn't dare. Can you just tell me one thing, Louise?"

"What?"

"What do you feel for him?" I rose an eyebrow. "Klaus." I opened my mouth to respond, but he interrupted. "Don't lie. I want the truth."

I gulped, trying to put it into words that wouldn't offend him. "Honestly, I'm not sure," I admitted. "I'm confused, Damon. Everything's heightened. And I... I didn't even know I felt something for him before I turned." If it was even possible, his expression looked even more wounded than before. "I'm sorry. I really am. I don't... I don't want this. But I'll promise you one thing." I grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "I love you. I don't love him."

He looked slightly appeased, but then he ripped his hand from my grasp. "You know, sometimes I wonder if Katherine's your twin, not Elena."

He vamped away. My eyes stung with tears as they welled up. One tear rolled down my cheek before I wiped it and blinked the rest of those stupid tears away. Damon knew I didn't like being compared to Elena, _or _Katherine.

I wouldn't cry. I wouldn't cry over a _guy_, certainly not. Even if I was a vampire with heightened senses, I still had my standards.

I walked back into the kitchen. Caroline came up behind me and gave me a shot of tequila. "Here. You need this." Caroline said. I gave her a inquisitive look. "I heard. Don't listen to Damon. You're nothing like Katherine, but you do know you have to choose, right?"

Before today, I wasn't even sure that there was a choice to be made. "I know."

She rubbed my arm soothingly. "Alright, let's drink!" Caroline boomed.

Elena shot Jeremy a very parental look. "I do not condone this, by the way."

"We survived Klaus." Jeremy grinned. "Alright? Make an exception, you can go back to being responsible tomorrow."

She nodded, although reluctantly. "Okay."

Elena mentally asked me if I was alright with this and I nodded. We raised our glasses to our mouths at the same time, when Tyler said suddenly, "Hang on. Do you guys hear that?" We listened for a noise or even a bird, but I heard nothing. "_That _is the sound of a Klaus free life."

We all laughed, though mine was forced. "To a Klaus free life," Elena said, raising her glass. We all rose our glasses with her. "And to all of you. My family."

"Cheers," echoed through the room as well as the sharp noise of glasses clinking together.

* * *

_A/N: Last chapter tomorrow! It'd mean so much to me if we could get up to one hundred reviews before it's finished._

_Love you guys like apple pie!_


	23. The Departed

_The Departed_

_I pulled up my Speedo kneeskin swimming togs over my breast, wincing when the strap slapped against my skin. "Ow," I moaned._

_I heard a chuckle coming from behind me and spun around. Mom was grinning, leaning against the wall, her arms folded and looking rather amused. My togs were twisted at the back. I squirmed uncomfortably, tugging at the straps and trying to sort my situation out._

_"Hey, Mom. Care to lend a hand?" I asked, smiling sheepishly._

_She laughed and fixed the swimming togs from the back. She tugged at my left strap and let it slap back onto my skin. "Ow!" I complained whinny. "What was the for?"_

_Smiling, Mom replied, "It was a display of my affection for my beloved daughter."_

_I pouted. "It wasn't very nice."_

_Mom laughed and patted my shoulder gently. "Good luck for today. You'll be the fastest fifty yards swimmer in Virginia, I know it." She smiled kindly and reassuringly._

_"I'll do you guys proud, I promise."_

_She brushed my side-fringe behind my ear. "Oh, honey. You've already done us proud by getting this far _and _getting on honour roll again. You really had us worried there for a while."_

_I smiled back at her happily. "I love you, Mom."_

_"Love you too, sweetie."_

"Louise! Louise!" Someone shook me awake.

I jumped up, startled. It was just Jeremy... just Jeremy. I got up and smacked his arm. "Jeremy! You scared me!"

He rubbed his arm and frowned. "Since when did you get so strong?"

I struggled to come up with a response, so I just ignored his question and looked at my alarm clock. My eyes widened when I saw the time. "Two o' clock?" I exclaimed angrily. "_Two in the morning_? Serious, Jeremy? Did you mistake 'am' for 'pm' or something?"

He shook his head, his mine elsewhere. "No... I, um, Elena's unconscious. I found her in Ric's old room."

I gaped at my idiotic little brother. "_What_? And you let me rant about the _time_? Are we even related?" I rushed out of my room and towards Ric's room.

"What are you gonna do?" Jeremy asked. "You can't use magic, so-"

I sighed heavily and told him, "Look, Jer, I'm really sorry you had fine out like this but I'm a vampire."

He stopped walking suddenly. He looked as if I just shot a puppy. "What?"

I shook my head. "We'll talk about it later."

Elena was sprawled out on the floor, blood pouring out of her nose. I knelt down beside her and was about to bite into my wrist when Jeremy said, "Stop!" I twisted around and shot him an inquisitive look. "We'll get her to the hospital. We can't risk having another vampire in the house."

I chewed on my lower lip, hurt. "Alright," I said quietly. I vamped into my room and put on my clothes, even using vampire speed to pick out my clothes. I rushed back and scooped her into my arms. She didn't weigh anything to me anymore, even though I was only a few pounds heavier than her. "Get in the car. You're driving."

* * *

Elena woke up groggily in as Meredith, Jeremy and I observed her outside of the room. "She's gonna be fine," the doctor told us. "She got a little banged up today - hit her head - but it was just a slight concussion, nothing to worry about."

"But she collapsed!" Jeremy insisted. "There was blood."

"Honestly, Jeremy, she's okay," Meredith assured the two of us, giving us a reassuring smile. "She's just... she's been through a lot. Is there anyone you want to call?"

I nodded and pulled out my phone. "I'm gonna call Stefan." Jeremy gave me a nod and I walked off. I dialed the vampire's number and called him. "Hey, Stefan."

_"Louise. What's up? You sound depressed."_

"Jeremy found Elena unconscious in Ric's room."

_"What, Louise, is she-"_

"She's fine now. We brought her to the hospital."

_"You did what?" _Stefan and Damon questioned in disbelief.

"We took her to the hospital," I said. "That's what you do when you find your sister unconscious."

_"Not when you have super healing vamp blood flowing through your veins!" _Damon insisted.

_"I knew it." _Damon obviously hadn't told Stefan yet.

"Klaus fed me his blood when I was injured, I killed myself... Now I'm a vampire," I tiredly explained. "So much for telling you all at the same time."

Stefan said worriedly_, "Every remaining Original is gonna want Elena dead to stop Alaric. She's a sitting duck in there."_

"Well, Meredith wants to keep her here for observation," I argued.

He groaned. _"Just get Elena home, Louise."_

* * *

He had a point, so, I brought Elena home with the help of a certain barbie vampire. Caroline had given me about two dozen blood bags when she got to the hospital. As Elena still didn't know I was a vampire, I hid them underneath my coat.

"Couch," Caroline demanded as soon as we went inside.

"I'm fine. I just... I want something to eat first."

I rushed upstairs into my room, flustered and breathing heavily. The whole car ride home from the hospital I had to deal with the temptation, the _smell_, of blood. I wanted to rip open the blood bags, but, surprisingly, I restrained myself. Maybe I would be a good vampire after all.

The blood bags fell onto my bed as I tore open my coat. I picked up one of the blood bags and smiled ravenously. My nail tore into it and I brought the bag up to my lips, throwing the plastic container upwards as I let the blood pour into my mouth. Klaus was right, blood from the vein tasted so much better, but this was substantial at least.

It was empty quicker than I thought it would be. I pouted childishly. But there was more... so much more blood bags ready to be tore open and emptied. I grabbed another, but hesitated. I needed control. I needed to be able to handle myself.

My stomach churned viciously, as if it wasn't agreeing with the blood. Vomit rushed up my throat and I made a run to the bathroom. I knelt in front of the toilet, vomiting bright red blood into the bowl. The red substance was spattered all around the bathroom, it was even in my hair.

I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror. I was as white as a sheet and there blood dripping from my mouth, trailing onto my blue tank top. I wiped it off and stared at the blood on my hand as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

Why couldn't I digest the blood? Was there something wrong with me?

"Oh my God," Caroline's voice said from behind me. I saw her reflection in the mirror. "Louise, what happened? Are you okay?"

She strided over to me and ripped four sheets of toilet paper from the roll. She dabbed the blood off my chin in a motherly fashion, a worried expression etched on her face. "It was the blood bags... I vomited them back up."

"How is that even possible?" she asked me.

"I don't know," I said quietly.

"Everyone's able to drink from a blood bag," Caroline said, dumbfounded. "Well, not humans, but you know what I mean. Maybe it's your luna bruja blood that's preventing you from drinking blood from a blood bag. Have you drank from the vein yet? Or how did you complete the transition?"

"Klaus compelled some girl and I fed from her." Caroline looked shocked. "Don't worry, I didn't kill her. He stopped me." There was a ghost of a smile on my face as I mentioned Klaus.

Caroline shook me slightly. "Hey, snap out of it!" She snapped two angry fingers in my face. "One good deed doesn't make someone a good person."

I shrugged. "Maybe he's turning a leaf."

Caroline scoffed. "The only thing Klaus turns is my stomach. And best friends." She tossed the toilet paper into the toilet bowl and sighed. "You know, in our little group of friend's there's only three humans left: Jeremy, Elena and Matt. Isn't that sad?"

I nodded. "I hope it stays that way."

"Me too," she replied distractedly. The blonde vampire shook her head and plastered on a smile. "Come on, let me show you my best hiding places!"

* * *

_"Hey togs!" Bonnie called, dressed_ _in her cheerleading uniform._

_"Hey pom-poms," I replied, grinning. _

_"You know everyone can see the bottom of your swimming togs with those shorts, right?" she asked. _

_I stretched out my arms in a show-off kind of way. "Why can't I wear my victory suit with pride?"_

_Bonnie chuckled and linked her arm in mine. We both frowned as we saw Elena kissing Matt. "She's leading him on," I said sadly. _

_"Yeah," Bonnie agreed. "Poor Matt. He doesn't deserve it. He's really head-over-heels for her."_

_Caroline popped up beside me. "Hey, guys!" she boomed happily, a large smile on her pretty face. "Oh, Louise! Good luck for today. Everyone's cheering you on. Nobody wants Danielle Roberts to win, by the way, they're all rooting for you. It's not like she's swimming-star material."_

_"Hey," I said firmly. "She's good. She's gotten to the State Championships, hasn't she?"_

_"I suppose," Caroline replied. "But even Allison Gardener and Paige Wheloff want you to win. And they lost the last race."_

_I shrugged. "So?"_

_"_So_," Caroline went on, smiling encouragingly. "You have everyone's support. Go for it."_

I groggily opened my eyes and propped myself up using my elbows. I must have fell asleep. My timing was simply _impeccable_. I pushed myself out of bed and walked down the stairs. Elena was sitting up on the couch, drinking coffee.

Matt was in the kitchen, leaning against the counter and looking thoughtful. "Hey," I said to him as I entered the Gilbert family kitchen. Except it wasn't really a 'family' anymore. More like three orphaned kids with no one to take care of them.

"Hey." He looked wary of me. That could only mean one thing. "Jeremy told me about... you know."

"So that only leaves Bonnie and Elena." I scoffed.

"Actually, Caroline already told Bonnie." I shot him an look of complete disbelief. "What? Bonnie deserved to know. So does she." He gestured to Elena. "Come on, Louise. You have to tell her. Unless you want her to find out second-hand like I did."

I ran my hand through my hair and groaned. "You're right. I'm gonna tell her."

He gave me an encouraging nod before I slowly walked over to Elena, making each step take longer than it needed to be. I sat on the coffee table in front of the couch. My doppelganger twin raised a confused eyebrow as she eyed me suspiciously.

"Uh... Louise? Are you okay?" she questioned.

"Well, here's the thing." I smiled sweetly as I struggled to come up with an explanation. 'Hey, Elena, I killed myself so you wouldn't have to die, but turns out, I killed myself for nothing and came back as a vampire. Nice weather we're having, huh?' "When Klaus was draining you of your blood, I was in transition."

The look of confusion didn't leave her oval face until moments later, when my words sank in. "No... you can't mean..."

I nodded and her face fell. "Klaus fed me his blood back at the high school after Ric stabbed me. Then he took me back to his mansion and I killed myself so he wouldn't kill you, but actually, that didn't make a difference. Not that I want you to die or anything..."

I was talking way too fast. "Oh my God," Elena muttered. "Oh my God!" Her tone became louder. "You're a _vampire_ because of me?" As I was about to protest, she continued her rant. "And it was to kill Alaric, but he's still alive because I am! I-I have to kill myself."

She tried to get up, but I pinned her back down with my new vampire-strength. "No, Elena. You don't."

"I do, Louise!" she exclaimed. "You're sacrifice doesn't matter if he's not dead. And the only way for Ric to die is if I die!"

"Then the whole reason why I killed myself is gone," I reminded her, still gripping her arms tightly. "If you die, then I died in vain."

She looked at me for a moment as her body relaxed. She let out a sigh. "You're right. I just feel so guilty. This - all of this - is all my fault! Because _I'm _the doppelganger!"

It kind of was. If she wasn't the Petrova doppelganger, then Jenna and John would be alive, Alaric wouldn't be an Enhanced Original and I wouldn't be a vampire. I'd still be a lunar witch with no control. I could view vampirism as an escape from that. What was the point of wallowing in self-pity for the next couple of hundred years when I could be enjoying my eternity?

"It's not all your fault," I said, holding her hand. It wasn't a complete lie. "If you weren't the doppelganger, Bonnie'd still be a witch, I'd still be a lunar witch freak with crazy powers and Tyler would still be a werewolf."

She nodded slowly, guilt still etched on her face.

* * *

Stefan, Matt and I were cooking in the kitchen. "I'm being over coddled," Elena called from the living room. "I feel completely fine."

"You're under house arrest," Stefan replied. "You're supposed to be coddled."

"Wouldn't it be smarter if we just got you the hell out of town?" Matt suggested.

"And do what? Go on the run for the rest of my life?" Elena asked. "No thank you." She stood up. "And I'm not an invalid. I'm done with the couch."

Wow, fussy much? I laughed at her. "So, you guys are just gonna let her call the shots?"

I shrugged. "I've lived with her all my life. And it's not like we can put her on a leash. She's allowed to make her own decisions."

"Even if they're wrong?" Matt pressed.

Stefan joined in our conversation. "Nothing wrong with free will, Matt. Trust me, you don't realize that til you lose it."

Elena called from the hallway, "Stefan."

We all moved out to the hall. The front door was open and standing on the porch was the self-proclaimed moral Original.

"Elijah," I growled.

He smiled. "Hello again."

* * *

The five of us were listening to Elijah's terms in the kitchen. He wanted his brother's body back. "All we need is to take that stake away from him. Once it's been disarmed, the weapon's in my possession, my family will scatter to the ends of the Earth and Alaric will follow us."

Stefan looked shocked that Elijah wasn't going to kill Elena. "And you'll just run?"

He sat down between me and Elena as Elijah said, "We've done it before. Klaus and Rebekah spent the better part of a thousand years evading my father. What's another half century while Elena is able to live out the rest of her natural life?"

"We've finally stopped him, Elijah. After everything that he's done to us, I can't just let you bring him back," Elena said.

"I give you my word, Elena. I will not revive Klaus within yours nor even within your children's lifetimes. Perhaps that will finally teach him some manners," Elijah promised.

"Your 'word' means nothing to us anymore," I snapped at him. "Moral brother my ass, your threats are the reason Abby Bennett is a vampire. And all you've done this year is screw us over."

"And for that, I am deeply ashamed." I scoffed, even though the look on Elijah's face told me that he wasn't lying. "But know this, she could have been dead the instant I walked through that door tonight, so Elena, I leave it to you to make the decision whether to trust me or not."

Damon was on the phone as he drove to wherever he was bringing Klaus' body. _"Not! Hello, did that concussion give you brain damage? His lunatic siblings will kill you the first chance they get!"_

"Rebekah and Kol will honor the terms. If you return Klaus' body to us, Elena will come to no harm." He turned to me. "Do we have a deal?"

Why was he trusting _me _with the decision? "Don't get me wrong, I still don't like you one bit, or your sadistic siblings, but maybe we should give you the coffin." Matt, Elena and Stefan gaped at me, even Elijah looked a little shocked.

_"No! No, no, no, no. Did I mention 'no'?" _

"Klaus is the sire of our bloodline, Damon. Who better than to protect his body than a bunch of Originals?" Elijah nodded. I leaned into the table and looked at him suspiciously. "But why do you want his body? I didn't think you two were all that close."

"He's my brother. We remain together," Elijah simply explained.

I looked at Elena. "You're the one this most affects."

Elena thought about it for a moment before sighing. "We have a deal."

She always did have a soft-spot for Elijah.

* * *

Jeremy was calling Ric. _"Yes?" _I heard Ric's voice with vamp-hearing.

"I know where Klaus' body is."

_"Good. Tell me."_

"Damon's on his way to bury him in the woods off Route twelve. I'll text you with the specifics."

_"Thank you, Jeremy. You're doing the right thing for your sisters." He didn't know I was a vampire, then._

Jeremy was a shockingly good liar. Should I be worried? "I know." He looked over at us as he hung up. The five of us were staring at him expectantly. "He bought it."

* * *

Matt and I were talking in the kitchen. "Hey, about what you said earlier, about getting Elena out of town..."

"Jeremy and I have already kind of planned to get her out," he replied guiltily. "I'm sorry, we-"

"But you're right, Matt," I said sadly. "She's not safe here. She has to leave town."

"We're on it," Matt assured me. "You just get some rest. You don't look well."

I nodded. "I know it's bad timing and all, but I feel horrible. Can vampires even get sick?"

Matt shrugged. "I dunno."

So, useful, Matt. So useful.

* * *

_"Hey, I got coke!" Dad announced, holding up the two litre bottle and grinning. He poured five glasses, one for Jenna, Mom, Dad, Jeremy and me. We all took our glasses and he raised his glass in a toast, as if it was alcohol. "A toast! To my amazing daughter with two gold medals!"_

_I smiled as every raised their glasses. Was Dad drunk? I kissed him on the cheek. "Love you, Dad."_

_"Love you too, muffin." He smiled at me. "How about a game of pictionary?"_

_Jenna groaned. "Ugh... you know how much I hate pictionary, Grayson."_

_"Because you suck at it," Jeremy pointed out, snorting. He had stoner eyes. Why did he always have stoner eyes? Didn't he learn from his big sister's mistakes?_

_"Hey!" Jenna protested before sighing heavily. "But, yeah, I do suck at it."_

_We laughed at Jenna. "Elena's missing out," Mom said. "I was surprised you didn't go to the party, sweetie. I thought you'd like to spend your victory with your friends."_

_I shrugged, smiling. "Family night always wins."_

_Jenna wrapped an arm around my shoulder. "And _that _is why you're my favourite niece right now."_

_"Hey!" Jeremy protested._

_"Wait," Jenna said, holding back laughter. "Are you my niece now?"_

_Jeremy's face went as red as a tomato. "What? No! I'm not-"_

_Jenna pinched his cheeks. "Aw... my adorable wickle niece!" I clutched my stomach, engulfed in a fit of laughter. The phone rang. "Better get that." She answered the phone. I heard Elena's voice on the other end. "Your dad is making me play Pictionary. I suck at Pictionary."_

_Dad snorted. "You do. You're terrible."_

_"Bite me, Grayson," Jenna said, smirking amusedly. "Oh, having second thoughts about ditching family night?"_

_"Here," Mom said and Jenna handed her the phone. "Elena, everything okay?... He doesn't really care about that yet, honey, he's just trying to figure out how you feel about him right now.. Yes you do. You're just afraid to say it... You're not gonna lose him, honey. You're setting him free."_

_"Looks like there's trouble for the it-couple, huh?" I whispered to Jeremy._

_"Uh-huh," he agreed. "But even I noticed how she strings him along. Maybe she should just break up with him."_

_Jenna smacked us on our arms. "Hey!" we both whined._

_"Don't talk about your sister's relationships behind her back," she scolded half-heartedly. "At least, not without me."_

_Mom hung up and shot us a look. "I don't know which one of you three behaves worse. My teenage kids or my sister who's in college."_

_Jenna smiled innocently. "You know you love me, Miranda."_

_Mom rolled her eyes. Jer and I laughed at them. "I'm gonna collect Elena."_

_"I'll come with you," Dad said, he turned to us three before leaving. "Prepare for an epic game of pictionary."_

_Jenna groaned. "Can't wait," she grumbled._

_Dad chuckled before leaving with Mom._

I woke up when my phone rang. I reached over and answered it. It was Damon. "Hey."

_"Louise." _He sounded sad and... scared. _"Klaus, he's... Alaric..."_

"No," I whispered. It surprised me how upset I was over his death. I couldn't hurt Damon, not on our last few hours. "We're all gonna die, Damon."

_"Unless Klaus was lying and he's not the sire of our bloodline. Which seems like a likely possibility."_

"Damon, Klaus sired me. I was turned by his blood. But you're gonna be okay. You, Caroline and Stefan... you'll all be fine. You have to be. I love you, Damon."

_"There has to be a way. I can't lose you, Louise!"_

His voice was breaking, and so was mine. "You're gonna survive this. And I want you to move on."

I heard things smashing against a wall and breaking. _"No! You can't die!"_

I was beginning to sob. "I can't say goodbye to you like this," I said, trying to keep my voice under control. "Where are you?"

_"Too far for you to drive to. Louise, if this... this is it. I just want you to know that I've loved you more than anything. Every moment I've spent with you has been amazing. I can never forget you."_

I smiled. "I love you too, Damon."

He chuckled. _"We sound pathetic."_

I laughed. "We're saying our final goodbyes, we're allowed to be pathetic."

_"See you on the Other Side?"_

"In a long, long time on your part, Damon."

* * *

"Tyler's dead?" I stated in disbelief, staring at Caroline. We were in the woods.

She nodded, swallowing back tears. "He-he's gone. But... why aren't w-we all dead?"

I narrowed my eyes in thought. "I don't know. Maybe it's going by age and you guys were turned by a different Original?"

Stefan approached the two of us. "Or maybe, somehow, Sage had linked herself to Finn and Troy."

"Why would she do that?" Caroline asked.

Stefan was brooding, as usual. "I don't know, but it's been an hour and we're all alive... what else am I to think?"

* * *

An hour later, I was back at home, still alive. Klaus turned me, I should be dead! Unless an Original's bloodline didn't die... but Sage and Troy didn't seem to know what was happening. It was so confusing!

Damon saw Klaus burn with his own eyes. If anyone should be dead, it should be me.

My phone rang. I sighed as I answered it. "Stefan, hey."

_"Louise, it's Elena."_

I sat up like a shot. "What happened?"

_"She's dead."_

* * *

I rushed into the hospital, tears streaming down my cheeks like there was no tomorrow. Everyone in my family save Jeremy was dead. My twin sister was dead! I was so close to turning it off, and if it wasn't for Jeremy... I would have.

"Where is she?" I demanded.

Meredith noticed me and approached me. "No, Louise, wait."

I choked back a sob. "Where the hell is my sister?"

She grabbed my arm and pulled me into a corner. "You need to know, when you and Jeremy brought Elena in here earlier tonight, her injuries were worse than I let on. It wasn't a concussion, it was a cerebral hemorrhage, bleeding of the brain."

Where was she taking this? "What are you saying?" I asked her.

"You guys were so worried," she said. "I didn't want to tell you, but I... I helped her. She _needed _my help."

I stepped back when I realised what she talking about. "You did _what_?"

Oh my God.

My twin sister was a vampire.

* * *

_A/N: So, that's the last chapter of In the Crossfire! There's definitely going to be a sequel, which I will most likely post today. It's called 'Allure of the Darkness.' The POV is different. It's third point of view which means that the whole chapter won't just be in Louise's POV. I think I prefer it like that. Season Four will feature lots of Damise and Klouise (more Klouise than this story)._

_Thanks to everyone who followed, favourited and reviewed! It means the world to me that so many people are interested in my story._

_Bye for now!_


	24. Author's Note

_**Author's Note**_

**Sequel is up with two chapters updated. It's called 'Allure of the Darkness.' Thank you to everyone who's read this story, reviewed, followed and favourited. One hundred reviews! Woohoo! **

**The sire bond situation is still there, but it's a little twisted... I'd love to hear your guesses about who's sired to who. **

**Suggestions are always welcomed and reviews, favourites and follows are what inspire me to continue writing. It's great getting feedback on my work. What to fix, what was good, what you disliked or liked... it's all good. **

**Again, thank you for your support!**

**-riding-into-sunsets**


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